Optical properties and inclusion of an organic fluorophore in organized media of micellar solutions and beta-cyclodextrin

Abstract

In this study, we prepared a new chalcone compound (3-(4′-diethylaminophenyl)-1-(2-pyridinyl) prop-2-en-1-one abbreviated as DEAPPP) and examined its characterization and photophysical properties such as singlet absorption, molar absorptivity, fluorescence spectra, and fluorescence quantum yield (ϕf). DEAPPP dye exhibited a large red shift in both absorption and emission spectra as solvent polarity increases, indicating a large change in dipole moment of molecule upon excitation. Also, the fluorescence quantum yield was solvent dependent. The absorption and fluorescence emission spectral properties of DEAPPP have been investigated in organized media of aqueous micellar and β-cyclodextrin (CD) solutions. While the absorption spectra were less sensitive to the nature of the added surfactant or CD, the characteristics of the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) fluorescence were highly sensitive to the properties of the medium. The ICT maximum was strongly blue-shifted with a great enhancement in the fluorescence quantum yield on adding micellar or CD. This indicated that the solubilization of DEAPPP increased in the micellar core and an inclusion complex with β-CD was formed. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) as well as the polarity of the micellar core of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and Triton X-100 (TX-100) have been determined. The CMC values were in good agreement with the reported values while the polarity was lower indicating that DEAPPP molecules were incorporated in the micellar core not at the micellar interface. The binding constants of DEAPPP: micelles or DEAPPP: CD complexes have been also determined.