meso-Methyl BODIPY photocages stand out for their absorption properties and easy chromophore derivatization. However, their low uncaging efficiencies often hinder applications requiring release of protected substrates in high amounts. In this study, we demonstrate that the sulfonothioated BODIPY group photocleaves a sulfonylthio group from the meso-methyl position with a 10-fold higher quantum yield than the most efficient leaving groups studied to date. Photocleavage, observed in solution and in cells, is accompanied by the spatiotemporally controlled photorelease of H2Sn. For this reason, sulfonothioated BODIPY may be applied in cell signaling, redox homeostasis, and metabolic regulation studies.

Department of Chemistry Masaryk University Kamenice 5 625 00 Brno Czech Republic

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the CAS Flemingovo nám 542 2 160 00 Praha 6 Czech Republic

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Chemical Biology Goethe University Max von Laue Str 7 60438 Frankfurt am Main Germany

RECETOX Masaryk University Kamenice 5 625 00 Brno Czech Republic

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