Temperature Influence on 4-Aminophthalimide Emission in 1-Chloroalkanes Plus Water Mixtures

Ultrafast excited state dynamics of pyridine N-oxide derivative in solution; femtosecond fluorescence up-conversion and theoretical calculations

In this study we have investigated 2-ethylamino-4-nitro-6-methyl pyridine N-oxide (2E6M) molecule that belongs to important group of Proton Coupled Electron Transfer (PCET) compounds where both the charge transfer (CT) and proton transfer processes in excited states may proceed. In this case, this is possible due to the donors and acceptors of electrons and protons in this system, as well as due to the presence of intramolecular {N-H… O [2,566(3) Å}, hydrogen bond.Using stationary and time-resolved spectroscopy, as well as quantum chemical calculations on the DFT and TD DFT B3LYP/6-31G (d,p) level of theory, a partial CT nature of the S₀ → S₁ transition in both tautomeric forms (N and T) has been revealed. Additionally, the excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process shown to be more favorable in apolar and weakly polar solvents than in strongly polar acetonitrile (E_N(S1) > E_T(S1). The displacement of charge from the amine group and the ring to the nitro group has been observed on the changing shapes of the HOMO and LUMO orbitals involved in this transition what further quantitatively allowed to realize the increase in the dipole moment of both forms in the electronic excited state. The calculations show that in two solvents with radically different polarity (heptane, acetonitrile), dipole moments of both forms are very similar [in acetonitrile u_N(S₁) and u_T(S₁) are 11.0 D and 11.5 D, respectively]. Hence, in polar media both forms can be stabilized in a comparable manner. This made it difficult for us to assign a single fluorescent band in acetonitrile to one of the tautomeric forms. However, it seems that due to application of time-resolved spectroscopy, this problem has been clarified. The TCSPC decay curve in acetonitrile with an ultrafast lifetime assigned to the (N) form, along with the femtosecond up-conversion signals that demonstrated only an ultrafast decay without any rise-time of a new excited (T) species, allowed us to conclude that in 2E6M in strongly polar solvent the ESIPT does not occur.The unique fluorescence band origins from the (N) form. In protic solvents, the significant kinetic isotopic effects have provided us with conclusive evidence for the presence of the solvent-assisted ESIPT process. Furthermore, it was noticed that the fluorescence lifetime in D₂O (100-120 fs) estimated from the up-conversion signals is about 40 times shorter relative to methanol. This may suggest that the sine qua non for the ESIPT process in 2E6M in protic solvents is the formation of a complex with a solvent molecule in the hydrogen bridge between the proton donor and proton acceptor, respectively.

The influence of temperature on C153 steady-state absorption and fluorescence kinetics in hydrogen bonding solvents

In a recent paper (J Fluoresc (2011) 21:1547–1557) a temperature induced modulation of Coumarin 153 (C153) fluorescence lifetime and quantum yield for the probe dissolved in the polar, nonspecifically interacting 1-chloropropane was reported. This modulation was also observed in temperature dependencies of the radiative and nonradiative rates. Here, we show that the modulation is also observed in another 1-chloroalkane—1-chlorohexane, as well as in hydrogen bonding propionitrile, ethanol and trifluoroethanol. Change in the equilibrium distance between S₀ an S₁ potential energies surfaces was identified as the source of this modulation. This change is driven by temperature changes. It leads to a modulation of the fluorescence transition dipole moment and it is the primary source of the experimental effects observed. Additionally, we have found that proticity of the solvent induces a rise in the fluorescence transition dipole moment, which leads to a shortening of the fluorescence lifetime. Hydrogen bonds are formed by C153 also with hydrogen accepting solvents like propionitrile. We show that while such bonds do not affect the transition probability, they do change the S₀ an S₁ energy gap which in turn implies a change in non-radiative transition rate in a similar way as in protic solvents, as well as in the fluorescence spectrum position. Finally, the influence of temperature on the energies of hydrogen bonds formed by C153 when acting as hydrogen donor or acceptor is reported.