Search for e⁺e⁻ → π⁰ K⁺K⁻J/ψ at √s= 4.26 ~ 4.95 GeV

Using e⁺e⁻ collision data collected with the BESIII detector at 27 center-of-mass energies between 4.26 and 4.95 GeV corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 13.0~fb⁻¹, we report the first search for the process e⁺e⁻ → π⁰ K⁺K⁻J/ψ. We additionally probe the cross section spectra for potential charmonium-like vector states and invariant mass distributions for intermediate Zc/Zcs state signals, and find no resonant structures consistent with these exotic candidates. Given the absence of observed resonant signals, upper limits at the 90% confidence level are determined for the Born cross sections, along with their best-fit values, as well as for the production of the intermediate states.