Tuning of intermolecular interactions results in packing diversity in imidazolin-5-ones

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Crystal structures of four green fluorescent protein (GFP) chromophore analogues with different packing interactions could be tuned by appropriate substitutions around the imidazolin-5-one ring are reported here. Compound 1 was crystallized from tetrahydrofuran at room temperature while compounds 2-4 have been crystallized from a mixture of methanol and dichloromethane in 3:1 ratio. Molecule 1, 2 and 3 crystallized in monoclinic lattice while molecule 4 preferred to crystallize in a triclinic crystal system. The crystal packing of these molecules was stabilized by C-H…π stacking and C-H… O type of supramolecular interactions. The results reveal that packing diversity can be easily accomplished in these molecules by tuning the substituents around the imidazolin-5-one ring. Photophysical studies also reveal that all have good quantum yield and fluoresce typically in red region due to presence of electron donating groups around the imidazolin-5-one ring. Crystal structures of four green fluorescence protein (GFP) chromophore analogues are reported. Stabilization through packing and packing diversity in crystals are achieved by modulating supramolecular interaction by varying the substituents.