Spectral and photochemical properties of 1-(9-anthryl)-2-(2-quinolyl)ethylene (9A2QE) in neutral and protonated forms have been studied experimentally and by quantum-chemical methods. It has been found that the quantum yield of trans-cis photoisomerization (φtc) has values of φtc < 0.5 typical of the diabatic photoisomerization for both forms of 9A2QE. A comparison of this data with the results of the study of other aza-diarylethylenes containing the 2-styrylquinoline (2SQ) moiety has led to the general conclusion that the increase in the π-system in 2SQ upon fusion of the benzene rings results in the disappearance of the α-effect, which lies in the fact that the quantum yield increases upon going from the neutral to protonated form up to the values φtc > 0.5, which exceeds the limiting value for the diabatic photoisomerization.