Photoinduced debenzylations of phenylalanine and tyrosine derivatives with dicyanoarenes afford glycine derivatives by the generation of radical cations. Despite the limited substrate scope, the radical cation of phenylalanine and tyrosine derivatives bearing both a carbamate (without an aromatic group) at the N-terminal and an amide at the C-terminal could promote the breaking C-C bond at the benzylic position by a photoinduced electron transfer. It is important to understand the chemical behavior of the radical cations of phenylalanine and tyrosine in enzymes involving electron transfer. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.