caged compound

https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.16199
Molecular species that can rapidly be converted from inactive into active form by light. Typically, photocaged compounds have a covalently attached group that can be photocleaved by electromagnetic radiation of a specific wavelength.
Notes:
  1. Electromagnetic radiation activated caged compounds (photocages) are widely used in biochemistry for a rapid photoinduced introduction of a variety of compounds to biological systems with spatial and temporal control, allowing the time-resolved study of the ensuing events.
  2. An example is the photorelease of nucleotides from their attachment to 1-(4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrophenyl) ethyl ester.
See also: photoremovable protecting group
Source:
PAC, 2007, 79, 293. (Glossary of terms used in photochemistry, 3rd edition (IUPAC Recommendations 2006)) on page 311 [Terms] [Paper]
Citation: 'caged compound' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.16199 RIS BibTex EndNote
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