Heterocyclic quinol-type fluorophores. Part 9: Effect of forming a continuous intermolecular hydrogen bonding chain between fluorophores on the solid-state fluorescence properties

Three heterocyclic quinol-type fluorophores with benzo[c]carbazol-6-one skeleton or benzo[b]naphtho[1,2-d]furan-6-one skeleton, 9-dibutylamino-5-hydroxy-5-phenyl-5,7-dihydro-benzo[c]carbazol-6-one (5a), 7-butyl-9-dibutylamino-5-hydroxy-5-phenyl-5,7-dihydro-benzo[c]carbazol-6-one (5b) and 9-dibutylamino-5-hydroxy-5-phenyl-5H-benzo[b]naphtho[1,2-d]furan-6-one (6c) have been synthesized and their photophysical properties have been investigated in solution and in the solid state. The fluorescence quantum yield (Φ) increases in the order of 5b (0.35)<5a (0.41)<6c (0.74) in 1,4-dioxane. On the other hand, the Φ value in the solid state increases in the order of 5a<<6C (0.03)<5b (0.07), which are much smaller than those in 1,4-dioxane. To elucidate the effects of molecular and crystal structures on the solid-state fluorescence properties, we have performed the semi-empirical molecular orbital calculations (AM1 and INDO/S) and X-ray crystallographic analysis. It was found that the formation of a continuous intermolecular hydrogen bonding between adjacent fluorophores is observed in the crystal of 5a, which is considered to cause a drastic fluorescence quenching in the solid state.