Based on characteristic that molecules usually have extraordinarily larger Stokes shift when ESIPT occurs, various applications have been developed using red-shifted fluorescence. Applications include turn-on photoluminescence sensor, photochromic, non-destructive optical memory, and white-light emitting materials.
Because phenol does not form a ketal under normal conditions because it does not tautomerize to any useful extent; however under ESIPT in the presence of an alcohol, e.g. ethylene glycol, it became possible to trap 1,4-Dioxaspiro[4.5]deca-6,8-diene [23783-59-7].