Phototriggering of neuroactive amino acids from 5,6-benzocoumarinyl conjugates

Uncaging of several neuroactive amino acids, namely β-alanine, tyrosine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and glutamic acid from the corresponding 5,6-benzocoumarinyl conjugates was carried out by irradiation at different wavelengths and in different solvent systems. The release of the various amino acids was faster in ACN/HEPES buffer mixtures and for the tyrosine conjugate, an increase in the photolysis reaction rates and the quantitative uncaging of the amino acid was associated with increasing water content in the solvent mixture.