1,2- and 1,3-diols, including carbohydrates, can be readily caged as acetals of 5-methoxy- or 5-hydroxysalicylaldehydes. Irradiation of these acetals with 300 nm light results in their efficient (Phi = 0.2-0.3) cleavage, regenerating an aldehyde and a glycol in excellent chemical yield. Photoreactive 5-hydroxysalicylaldehyde acetals can be produced by mild in situ reduction of photostable p-quinone precursors.