In continuation of a previous spectroscopic and quantum chemical study on 2-acetylindan-1,3-dione (2AID), the spectral properties and photostability of 2AID and its Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) complexes in different solvents are reported. Comparison is made with the photostability of two commercially available sunscreens: benzophenone-3 and octylmethoxycinnamate. 2AID exhibits a higher photostability, high molar absorption coefficient (42 000 m(-1) cm(-1)) at lambda(max) and broad-spectrum UV-protection properties. The hypothesis that the strong intramolecular H-bonding is responsible for the higher photostability was confirmed by studying the photodegradation upon irradiation with UV light of 2AID in hydrogen bond-breaking solvent, DMSO. The data obtained show that 2AID undergoes rapid degradation in this solvent. It is found that Cu(2+) and Zn(2+)-2AID complexes show higher photostability in DMSO than 2AID itself.