New photocleavable linker: α-thioacetophenone-type linker.

Photocleavable linkers are advantageous over the common linkers because they could be cleaved without using reagents. A novel photocleavable linker with an α-thioacetophenone moiety has been developed. This linker, which can be cleaved upon irradiation at 365 nm via the Norrish type II reaction, is applicable to a protein affinity purification system, allowing target proteins to be effectively isolated. This novel linker would serve as an effective tool in chemical biology.