The combination of photolysis and gas-liquid -chromatography results in "fingerprints" which-are much superior 'to the pyrolysis gas chromatography method for the identification or organic compounds.With this photolysis-GLC· method. a number -of methyl ethers, benzyl ethers. isopropyl ethers and tert-butylethers were chromatographically purified and photolytically decomposed by way of mercury sensitization.The photolytic degration products were temperature programmed in a sensitive gas-liq~id chromatograph.The "fingerprint" product peaks were calculated into retention indices • .J I-values and I-values, and grouped into homologous peaks. common peaks and distinctive peaks.Identification of parent structures is obtained by the correlatton of retention indices in the above three groups of peaks.