Influence of the alkyl chain length on the fluorescence properties of N-alkyl-2,3-naphthalimides included in β-cyclodextrin

Abstract

Absorption spectra of N-alkyl-2,3-naphthalimides (1, R=CH3; 2,: R=n–C6H13; 3, R=n–C12H25; 4, R=n–C18H37) show absorption maximum independent of the alkyl chain length but dependent on the nature of the solvent. In the polar aprotic solvent acetonitrile N-alkyl-2,3-naphthalimides 1–4 exhibit a vibrationally resolved fluorescence emission, while in polar protic solvents (methanol or water) their fluorescence is broad and shows a bathochromic shift when compared to the one in acetonitrile. This behaviour is in agreement with previously reported data on N-methyl-2,3-naphthalimide. By the addition of aqueous solutions of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) (concentration ranging from 1×10−3 to 1×10−2 M) to an aqueous solution of the probe, a hypsochromic shift and a strong increase of the fluorescence intensity were observed for short, i.e. 1, and long alkyl chains, i.e. 2–4. From these data we can conclude that an inclusion complex between 1–4 and β-CD is formed. The inclusion geometry for these complexes is dramatically affected by the alkyl chain length. Thus, for the short chain N-alkyl-2,3-naphthalimide, 1, a broad emission is revealed, whereas for long chains, 2–4, a vibrationally structured emission was observed. This indicates a tighter geometry for the latter case, which is a consequence of the inclusion of both the naphthalimide moiety and the alkyl group into the β-CD cavity.