Provided are: a non-ionic photoacid generator containing a sulfonate compound having a high photosensitivity to i lines, exhibiting excellent heat-resistance stability, and exhibiting excellent solubility in a hydrophobic material; and a resin composition for photolithography containing the same. The present invention is a sulfonate compound characterized by being represented by general formula (1).

[In formula (1), R1 represents an aryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms or a heterocyclic hydrocarbon group having 4 to 20 carbon atoms. R2 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkynyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms. R3 represents a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms (in which some or all hydrogen atoms may be substituted with fluorine).]

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The invention provides surfactant compounds of formulas I-IX, which can be used in methods for aiding the solubilization, digestion, preparation, analysis, and/or characterization of biological material, for example, proteins or cell membranes. The compounds can also aid in the recovery of peptides generated during protein digestion, particularly for in-gel digestion protocol. Additionally, the compounds can improve enzymatic protein deglycosylation without interfering with downstream sample preparation steps and mass spectrometric analysis. The compounds can be specifically useful as digestion aids that can be decomposed by an acid, by heat, or a combination thereof. Decomposition of the surfactants allows for facile separation from isolated samples, and/or allows for analysis of the sample without interfering with the sensitivity of various analytical techniques.

Provided are: a non-ionic photoacid generator containing a sulfonate compound having a high photosensitivity to i lines, exhibiting excellent heat-resistance stability, and exhibiting excellent solubility in a hydrophobic material; and a resin composition for photolithography containing the same. The present invention is a sulfonate compound characterized by being represented by general formula (1). [In formula (1), R1 represents an aryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms or a heterocyclic hydrocarbon group having 4 to 20 carbon atoms. R2 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkynyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms. R3 represents a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms (in which some or all hydrogen atoms may be substituted with fluorine).] ##STR00001##

Provided are: a non-ionic photoacid generator containing a sulfonate compound having a high photosensitivity to i lines, exhibiting excellent heat-resistance stability, and exhibiting excellent solubility in a hydrophobic material; and a resin composition for photolithography containing the same. The present invention is a sulfonate compound characterized by being represented by general formula (1). [In formula (1), R1 represents an aryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms or a heterocyclic hydrocarbon group having 4 to 20 carbon atoms. R2 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, an alkynyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 18 carbon atoms. R3 represents a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms (in which some or all hydrogen atoms may be substituted with fluorine).] ##STR00001##