4-(7-Diethylaminocoumarin-3-yl)benzoyl cyanide (DACB-CN) was synthesized as a new fluorescent derivatization reagent for alcohols for use in high-performance liquid chromatography. Saturated alcohols (C₈-C₂₂) were derivatized in good yields to give the corresponding fluorescent DACB-esters by treatment with DACB-CN. The DACB-esters of these alcohols were clearly separated on a reversed-phase HPLC column. The detection limit (S/N=3) of cetyl alcohol, a test compound, was 1-2 fmol/10 μl.