Anthracene-9-methanol—a novel fluorescent phototrigger for biomolecular caging

Photoexcitation of a solution of anthracene-9-methanol derived esters at ∼386 nm in CH3CN/H2O (3:2 v/v) results in fluorescence emission in the 380–480 nm range, with quantum yields of fluorescence (Φf) in the 0.01–0.09 range and releases of the carboxylic acids in good chemical yields (43–100%), with quantum yields of photoreaction (ΦPR, i.e., the photodisappearance of the esters) in the 0.067–0.426 range.