Photolabile acetal and ketal compounds for the controlled release of active volatile carbonyl compounds

A method for releasing one or more active volatile aldehydes or ketones which comprises:

• providing a delivery system that includes a compound of formula
• wherein
• R1 and R2 represent simultaneously or independently a hydrogen atom, a C1-18 hydrocarbon group or a C1-18 group that includes one to three oxygen atoms, one to two nitrogen atoms, and/or one sulfur atom, provided that at least one or both of R1 and R2 includes one of the C1-18 groups;
• wherein R1 and R2 are derived from an active aldehyde or ketone of formula (R1)(R2)C(═O);
• said aldehyde or ketone having a molecular weight comprised between 80 and 230 g/mol and being a C5-18 compound;
• R3 represent simultaneously or independently from each other, a hydrogen atom, a linear C1-C8 alkyl group, a branched or cyclic C3-C8 alkyl group, a hydroxy group, a methoxy group, an ethoxy group, a 2-hydroxyethoxy group, a 2-ethoxyethoxy group, a (OCH2CH2)nOH group, a (OCH2CH2)nOCH3 group, a methylthio group, a dimethylamino group, or a diethylamino group, with n being an integer varying between 2 and 8;
• and
• R4 and R5 represent, simultaneously or independently from each other, a hydrogen atom, a linear C1-C4 alkyl group, a branched C3-C4 alkyl group, a methoxy group, an ethoxy group, a 2-hydroxyethoxy group, a 2-ethoxyethoxy group, a (OCH2CH2)nOH group, a (OCH2CH2)nOCH3 group, a methylthio group, a dimethylamino group, or a diethylamino group, with n having the same meaning as above, wherein at least one R4 and at least one R5 are a dimethylamino group;
• and
• triggering the release of the one or more active volatile aldehyde or ketone by light.