Abstract
A new fluorescent probe, 4-dicyanomthylene-1,2,3,4-tetrahydromethylquinoline (DCQ), suitable for the determination of the polarity, microviscosity and phase behaviour of phospholipid membranes is reported. The emission and absorption spectra of DCQ shift to longer wavelength with increasing solvent polarity. The emission yield and decay time of DCQ increase with increasing solvent polarity and viscosity. These properties of DCQ were exploited to detect readily and accurately the thermally induced phase transition of lipid membranes made from dimyristoyl phosphatidyl choline (DMPC) and dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline (DPPC). Both the main and the pretransition of DPPC were accurately observed with the aid of DCQ. The Dimroth polarity scale provided polarity values of 42 ± 2 kcal mol−1 and 43 ± 2 kcal mol−1 for DMPC and DPPC, respectively. A value of 24 cP was estimated for the microviscosity of DMPC and DPPC at 25 °C.
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