Molecular resist of polyphenol was evaluated as an extreme-ultraviolet resist compared with a polymer resist of p(tert-butoxycarbonyl-hydroxystyrene). The molecular resist shows higher sensitivity than the polymer resist. The dissolution behavior was studied by quartz crystal microbalance method. The molecular resist shows thinner swelling layer than the polymer resist. The deprotection mechanism was approximated by simple reaction equations, and Fourier-transform infrared spectra were interpreted to give the products of a quantum yield and a deprotection rate constant as 6.2 x 10(-8) and 6.0 x 10(-8) cm(3)/molecules s for molecular and polymer resists. Both deprotection efficiencies are almost same. The higher sensitivity of the molecular resist is due to the dissolution behavior not the reaction mechanism. (C) 2007 American Vacuum Society.