Spectral properties and photobehaviour of 2,5-distyrylfuran derivatives

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/j.jphotochem.2011.01.009

Four novel trans,trans-2,5-distyrylfuran derivatives (E,E-X-DStFs, X = Cl, OCH₃, N(CH₃)₂, NO₂) have been synthesized and characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy. The photoph

Full text of DOI:10.1016/j.jphotochem.2011.01.009

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 219 (2011) 1–9
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Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A:
Chemistry
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jphotochem
Spectral properties and photobehaviour of 2,5-distyrylfuran derivatives
a
a
b,∗
b
a,∗∗
ˇ
ˇ
Serena Ciorba , Benedetta Carlotti , Irena Skoric´ , Marija Sindler-Kulyk , Anna Spalletti
a Dipartimento di Chimica and Centro di Eccellenza Materiali Innovativi Nanostrutturati (CEMIN), Università di Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
b Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Maruli´cev trg 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
a r t i c l e i n f o
a b s t r a c t
Article history:
Four novel trans,trans-2,5-distyrylfuran derivatives (E,E-X-DStFs, X = Cl, OCH3, N(CH3)2, NO2) have been
synthesized and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR and UV–vis spectroscopy. The photophysical proper-
ties of the excited states of these poorly photoreactive compounds have been studied in two solvents of
different polarities by stationary and pulsed techniques and also by the help of semiempirical quantum-
mechanical calculations. The high fluorescence efficiency of these systems was accompanied by a modest
triplet production (that becomes substantial in the nitro-derivative) investigated by nanosecond laser
flash photolysis. The solvent effect on the absorption and emission spectra and on the photobehaviour
allowed to evidence the presence of charge transfer (CT) excited states in the dimethylamino- and,
particularly, in the nitro-derivative.
Received 22 September 2010
Received in revised form 17 January 2011
Accepted 18 January 2011
Available online 26 January 2011
Keywords:
Distyrylfuran derivatives
Fluorescence
Triplet properties
Charge-transfer states
Synthesis
© 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
by the solvent polarity was found in the case of dimethylamino and
nitro derivatives, being particularly strong in the latter.
On the line of our interest in design, synthesis and study
of hetero-polycyclic compounds [1–12] with conjugated bond
structure of potential application as fluorescent probes and in
optoelectronics, we recently reported the results of a detailed
spectral and photophysical study on 2,3- and 2,5-distyrylfuran
derivatives [6] pointing to high fluorescence quantum yields and
to a similarity of their spectral behaviour to that of cis-␣,␻-di
phenylpolyenes, particularly for what concerns the presence of the
cis peak [7,8].
Further investigation of asymmetric 2,3-distyryl-benzofuran
derivatives with electron-donor or acceptor groups, in para posi-
tion to a phenyl ring [9,10], was found very interesting particularly
for the formation of intra-molecular charge transfer (ICT) states
observed in polar solvents.
This paper deals with the synthesis and photobehaviour of
trans–trans asymmetric 2,5-distyrylfuran derivatives (EE-2,5-X-
DStF) where X is a chloro, methoxy, dimethylamino or nitro groups
in para position, as shown in Scheme 1. Measurements of the spec-
tral properties and photobehaviour, carried out in two solvents of
different polarities, allowed a complete description of the deactiva-
tion pathways of their excited states. Transient spectroscopy with
nanosecond resolution was performed to reveal the involvement of
the lowest excited triplet state. A fluorosolvatochromism induced
2. Experimental
2.1. Synthesis
2.1.1. General
The 1H and 13C NMR spectra were recorded on a Bruker AV-600
Spectrometer at 300 and 600 MHz. All NMR spectra were measured
in CDCl3 using tetramethylsilane as reference. UV spectra were
measured on a Varian Cary 50 UV/VIS Spectrophotometer. Mass
spectra of the novel compounds were obtained on a Varian CP-3800
Gas Chromatograph-Varian Saturn 2200 (GC/MS) system equipped
with FactorFour Capillary Column VF-5ms, 30 m × 0,25 mm ID;
GC operating conditions for all experiments: column temperature
programmed from 110 ◦C to 300 ◦C (6 min isothermal) at a rate
of 33 ◦C min−1; carrier gas: helium; flow rate: 1 mL min−1; injec-
tor temperature: 300 ◦C; volume injected: 5 ␮L. Melting points
were obtained using an Original Kofler Mikroheitztisch appara-
tus (Reichert, Wien) and are uncorrected. Elemental analyses were
carried out on Perkin-Elmer, Series II, CHNS Analyzer 2400. Silica
gel (Merck 0.063–0.2 mm) was used for chromatographic purifica-
tions. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was performed on Merck
precoated silica gel 60 F254 plates. Solvents were purified by distil-
lation.
Furan-2-carbaldehyde and p-dimethylamino-benzaldehyde
were obtained from a commercial source (Aldrich). Different
triphenylphosphonium salts, benzyl-, p-chlorobenzyl-, p-
∗
Corresponding author. Tel.: +385 1 4597241; fax: +385 1 4597250.
∗∗
Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 75 5855575; fax: +39 75 5855598.
ˇ
E-mail addresses: iskoric@fkit.hr (I. Skoric´), faby@unipg.it (A. Spalletti).
1010-6030/$ – see front matter © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jphotochem.2011.01.009

2
S. Ciorba et al. / Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 219 (2011) 1–9
fied and the mixture of four isomers of asymmetric X-DStFs was
obtained by column chromatography on silica gel using petroleum
ether/ diethyl ether (0–5%) mixture as the eluent. A mixture of iso-
mers in benzene (∼5.5 mM) was purged with argon for 15 min and
irradiated at 350 nm in a Rayonet reactor in a pyrex tube. The pho-
tochemical isomerization was followed by GC-MS measurements.
After 15–30 min the reaction mixture contained 85–95% of the
trans,trans-isomers of X-DStFs. The solvent was removed in vacuo
and the oily residue chromatographed on silica gel column using
petroleum ether to isolate pure E,E-X-DStFs in the last fractions.
Characterization data of the new E,E-X-DStFs are given below.
O
X
X = Cl, OCH3, N(CH3)2, NO2 (X-DStFs)
1) POCl3 / DMF
2) p-X-C6H4CH2P+Ph3Br-
NaOEt / EtOH
X = H
X = Cl, OCH3, NO2
3) hν
/ column chromatography
O
O
2.1.2.1. 2-[2-(4-Chlorophenyl)ethenyl]-5-(2-phenylethenyl)furan
(Cl-DStF): overall yield 49%. E,E-Cl-DStF: Rf 0.64 (petroleum
ether/CH2Cl2, 9:1); yellow solid; mp 144 ◦C; 1H NMR (600 MHz,
CDCl3) ıH 7.50 (d, J = 7.5 Hz, 2H), 7.44 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 2H), 7.36 (t,
J = 7.5 Hz, 2H), 7.32 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 2H), 7.26 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H), 7.13 (d,
J = 16.3 Hz, 1H, Het), 7.07 (d, J = 16.2 Hz, 1H, Het), 6.88 (d, J = 16.2 Hz,
1H, Het), 6.85 (d, J = 16.3 Hz, 1H, Het), 6.40 (d, J = 3.5 Hz, 1H), 6.39
(d, J = 3.5 Hz, 1H); 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3) ıC 152.72 (s), 152.15
(s), 136.48 (s), 135.10 (s), 132.61 (s), 128.40 (d), 128.28 (d), 127.19
(2d), 127.01 (2d), 126.97 (2d), 125.88 (2d), 125.36 (d), 116.19 (d),
115.63 (d), 111.23 (d), 110.78 (d); MS (EI) m/z (%) 307 (M+, 100).
Anal. Calcd for C20H15OCl (Mr = 306.79): C, 78.30; H, 4.93. Found:
C, 78.17; H 5.17.
(H3C)2N
N(CH3)2-StF
StF
Ph-CH2P+Ph3Br-
NaOEt / EtOH
p-N(CH3)2C6H4CHO
NaOEt / EtOH
CHO
CH2P+Ph3Br-
O
O
Scheme 1.
methoxybenzyl-, p-nitrobenzyl-triphenylphosphonium bromides
and 2-furyl-triphenylphosphonium bromide, were synthesized
from the corresponding bromides and triphenylphosphine in
benzene solution.
2.1.2.2. 2-[2-(4-Methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-5-(2-phenylethenyl)furan
(CH3O-DStF): overall yield 51%. E,E-CH3O-DStF: Rf 0.60 (petroleum
ether/CH2Cl2, 9:1); yellow-green solid; mp 168 ◦C; 1H NMR
(600 MHz, CDCl3) ıH 7.49 (d, J = 7.5 Hz, 2H), 7.44 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2H),
7.35 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 2H), 7.24 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H), 7.11 (d, J = 16.2 Hz, 1H,
Het), 7.09 (d, J = 16.2 Hz, 1H, Het), 6.90 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2H), 6.88 (d,
J = 16.2 Hz, 1H, Het), 6.76 (d, J = 16.2 Hz, 1H, Het), 6.38 (d, J = 3.4 Hz,
1H), 6.33 (d, J = 3.4 Hz, 1H), 3.84 (s, 3H, OCH3); 13C NMR (75 MHz,
CDCl3) ıC 159.35 (s), 153.35 (s), 152.63 (s), 137.15 (s), 129.88 (s),
128.71 (2d), 127.62 (2d), 127.50 (d), 127.01 (d), 126.90 (d), 126.31
(2d), 116.27 (d), 114.31 (d), 114.22 (2d), 111.30 (d), 110.39 (d),
55.35 (q); MS (EI) m/z (%) 302 (M+, 100), 211 (5), 167 (10), 84 (15).
Anal. Calcd for C21H18O2 (Mr = 302.00): C, 83.42; H, 6.00. Found: C,
83.16; H 5.85.
2.1.2. Preparation of trans,trans-2,5-distyrylfuran derivatives
(E,E-X-DStFs, X = Cl, OCH3, N(CH3)2, NO2)
The investigating compounds are synthesized according to the
reaction pathways reported in Scheme 1. To a stirred solution of
benzyltriphenylphosphonium bromide (20.0 mmol) and furfural
(18.0 mmol) or furfuryltriphenylphosphonium salt (20.0 mmol)
and p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde, respectively, in absolute
ethanol (100 mL) a solution of sodium ethoxide (0.615 g, 27.0 mmol
in 10 mL ethanol) was added dropwise (Scheme 1). Stirring was
continued under a stream of nitrogen for one day at RT. After
removal of the solvent, the residue was worked up with water and
benzene. The benzene extracts were dried and concentrated. The
pure cis- and trans-2-styrylfuran (StF, 81.8%) and p-dimethylamino-
2-styrylfuran (N(CH3)2-StF, 77.4%), respectively, were obtained
in the first fractions by column chromatography on silica gel
using petroleum ether as an eluent and subjected to formylation.
Obtained StF (7.4 mmol) and N(CH3)2-StF (7.4 mmol), respec-
tively (Scheme 1), were dissolved in dimethylformamide (1.71 mL,
22.0 mmol) and after being stirred at ∼ 11 ◦C for 20 min, phosphorus
oxychloride (1.14 g, 7.4 mmol) was added and the reaction mix-
ture was allowed gradually to warm up to room temperature and
stirred for 4 days. The reaction mixture was decomposed by the
continuous addition (with cooling) of 10% sodium hydroxide solu-
tion and the product was worked up with diethyl ether. The diethyl
ether extracts were washed with water. After removal of the sol-
vent, the crude reaction mixtures of 2-formyl-5-styrylfuran and
2-formyl-5-N,N-dimethylaminostyrylfuran, respectively, as mix-
tures of cis- and trans-isomers, were used in the next reaction
step. To a stirred solution of formyl derivatives (1.4 mmol) and
the corresponding phosphonium salts (1.6 mmol), p-chlorobenzyl-,
p-methoxybenzyl-, p-nitrobenzyl- and benzyltriphenylphospho-
nium bromides, respectively, in absolute ethanol (100 mL) a
solution of sodium ethoxide (0.05 g, 2.2 mmol in 10 mL ethanol) was
added dropwise. Stirring was continued under a stream of nitro-
gen for one day at RT. After removal of the solvent, the residue
was worked up with water and benzene. The benzene extracts
were dried and concentrated. The crude reaction mixture was puri-
2.1.2.3. 2-[2-(4-Nitrophenyl)ethenyl]-5-(2-phenylethenyl)furan
(NO2-DStF): overall yield 39%. E,E-NO2-DStF: Rf 0.55 (petroleum
ether/CH2Cl2, 9:1); orange-red solid; mp 139 ◦C; 1H NMR (600 MHz,
CDCl3) ıH 8.21 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.60 (d, J = 8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.51 (d,
J = 7.6 Hz, 2H), 7.37 (t, J = 7.6 Hz, 2H), 7.24 (t, J = 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.18 (d,
J = 16.2 Hz, 1H, Het), 7.15 (d, J = 16.6 Hz, 1H, Het), 7.02 (d, J = 16.2 Hz,
1H, Het), 6.91 (d, J = 16.6 Hz, 1H, Het), 6.53 (d, J = 3.4 Hz, 1H), 6.44 (d,
J = 3.4 Hz, 1H); 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3) ıC 154.24 (s), 154.97 (s),
143.69 (s), 138.97 (s), 136.73 (s), 128.80 (2d), 128.56 (d), 127.99
(d), 126.56 (2d), 126.50 (2d), 124.39 (d), 124.24 (2d), 120.07 (d),
115.90 (d), 114.03 (d), 111.49 (d); MS (EI) m/z (%) 317 (M+, 100).
Anal. Calcd for C20H15NO3 (Mr = 317.34): C, 75.70; H, 4.76. Found:
C, 75.97; H 4.61.
2.1.2.4. 2-[2-(4-Dimethylaminophenyl)ethenyl]-5-(2-
phenylethenyl)furan
[(CH3)2N-DStF]:
overall
yield
44%.
E,E-(CH3)2N-DStF: Rf 0.52 (petroleum ether/CH2Cl2, 9:1); green-
yellow solid; mp 188–190 ◦C; 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3) ıH 7.47
(d, J = 7.3 Hz, 2H), 7.38 (d, J = 8.7 Hz, 2H), 7.33 (t, J = 7.3 Hz, 2H), 7.21
(t, J = 7.3 Hz, 1H), 7.08 (d, J = 15.9 Hz, 1H), 7.06 (d, J = 16.3 Hz, 1H),
6.85 (d, J = 16.3 Hz, 1H), 6.69 (d, J = 15.9 Hz, 1H), 6.68 (d, J = 8.7 Hz,
2H), 6.34 (d, J = 3.4 Hz, 1H), 6.27 (d, J = 3.4 Hz, 1H), 2.96 (s, 6H, CH3);
13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3) ıC 154.10 (s), 152.33 (s), 150.23 (s),
137.43 (s), 128.71 (2d), 127.93 (d), 127.67 (2d), 127.42 (d), 126.40
(d), 126.35 (2d), 125.54 (s), 116.48 (d), 112.51 (2d), 112.32 (d),

S. Ciorba et al. / Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 219 (2011) 1–9
3
111.41 (d), 109.46 (d), 40.40 (2q); MS (EI) m/z (%) 315 (M+, 100).
Anal. Calcd for C22H21NO (Mr = 315.41): C, 83.78; H, 6.71. Found:
C, 83.92; H 6.44.
Further purification of investigating E,E-X-DStFs was per-
formed by semi-preparative HPLC equipped by Prontosil C30 (5␮,
250 mm × 20 mm) column and UV detector.
The measurements were performed at room temperature and
in de-aerated solutions by purging with nitrogen. The parameters
reported in the tables are averages of at least three independent
measurements with mean deviation of ca. 10% (about 15% for εT
and ꢂT).
2.3. Theoretical calculations
2.2. Spectral, photochemical and photophysical experiments
The quantum-mechanical calculations were carried out using
the HyperChem computational package (version 7.5): total ener-
gies and dipole moments were obtained for geometries optimized
by HF ab initio (3-21-G level) method. The computed transition
energies and oscillator strengths were obtained by ZINDO/S at the
optimized geometries, the configuration interaction including 1600
(40 × 40) single excited configurations.
The irradiation of deaerated (by bubbling pure nitrogen) solu-
tions of X-DStFs in cyclohexane (CH) and acetonitrile (AcN) was also
performed in mild conditions (concentration 10−4 M, low dose of
∼
=
the monochromatic excitation light). The excitation wavelength,
corresponding to the maximum of the first band of the absorption
spectrum, was isolated from a 150 W high pressure Xenon lamp
by a monochromator. The photoreaction was monitored by HPLC
Waters apparatus equipped with analytical Prontosil 200-3-C30
(3␮, 250 mm × 4 mm) column and UV diode-array detector using
water–acetonitrile mixtures as the eluent.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Synthesis
A Perkin-Elmer Lambda 800 spectrophotometer was used
for the absorption measurements. The experimental oscillator
The investigating compounds, trans,trans-2,5-distyrylfuran
derivatives (X-DStFs) (X = Cl, OCH3, N(CH3)2, NO2), were pre-
pared in several steps by two Wittig reactions and Vilsmeier
formylation (Scheme 1). In the first step 2-styrylfuran (StF)
and p-dimethylamino-2-styrylfuran (N(CH3)2-StF) were prepared
by Wittig reaction as described for other styrylfurans [13],
from benzyltriphenylphosphonium bromide and freshly distilled
furan-2-carbaldehyde or from p-dimethylamino-benzaldehyde
and 2-furyltriphenylphosphonium bromide, respectively. Obtained
StF and N(CH3)2-StF were formylated and subjected to the Wit-
tig reaction with corresponding triphenylphosphonium salts. All
X-DStFs were obtained in good overall yield (39–51%) as the mix-
tures of four isomers, predominantly trans,trans-X-DStFs. Pure
trans,trans-isomers were isolated by column chromatography of
the isomer mixtures after their short irradiation.
ꢀ
strength was derived by f = (4.39 × 10−9/n) ε(ꢀ¯) dꢀ¯ [14], consid-
∼
ering the refraction index n 1.
=
The fluorescence spectra were measured by a Spex Fluorolog-
2 F112AI spectrofluorimeter. Dilute solutions (absorbance less
than 0.1 at the excitation wavelength, ꢁexc) were used for fluori-
metric measurements. 9,10-diphenylanthracene in de-aerated CH
was used as fluorimetric standard (ꢂF = 0.90) [15]. Fluorescence
lifetimes were measured by an Edinburgh Instrument 199S spec-
trofluorimeter, using the single photon counting method.
All measurements were performed in CH and AcN at room tem-
perature.
The triplet state was investigated in CH and AcN by a nanosecond
laser flash photolysis setup previously described (Nd:YAG Contin-
uum, Surelite II, third harmonics, ꢁexc = 355 nm, pulse width ca.
7 ns and energy ≤1 mJ pulse−1) [16,17]. First-order kinetics were
observed for the decay of the lowest triplet state (T–T annihilation
was prevented by the low excitation energy). The transient life-
times (ꢃT) were measured at an absorbance of ca. 0.2. The transient
spectra were obtained by monitoring the change of absorbance
over the 300–800 nm range and averaging at least 10 decays at
each wavelength. The experimental setup was calibrated by an
optically matched solution of benzophenone in AcN (ꢂT = 1 and
ꢄεT = 6500 M−1 cm−1 at the corresponding absorption maximum)
[18]. Triplet–triplet molar absorption coefficients (εT), and then
triplet formation yields (ꢂT), were determined by energy trans-
fer from benzophenone in AcN and from di-(2-thienyl)ketone in
CH (ꢄεT = 5200 M−1 cm−1 at 630 nm, the corresponding absorp-
tion maximum). In fact, radicals were produced upon irradiation
in the polar AcN and the triplet molar absorption coefficient
needed to be measured in CH. Since di-(2-thienyl)ketone has a
low bimolecular rate constant for hydrogen abstraction [19], it was
used to fully characterize the triplet state in CH [20]. The triplet
molar absorption coefficient of di-(2-thienyl)ketone (ꢄεT = 5000
and 5200 M−1 cm−1 at ꢁmax in AcN and CH, respectively) was
estimated by energy transfer from benzophenone in AcN or to
anthracene in CH (ꢄεT = 52500 M−1 cm−1 at 423 nm) [18]. The
quenching constants of the transients by molecular oxygen were
evaluated by the slope of the linear plots of transient lifetime vs.
different oxygen concentrations. Absorption spectra were recorded
with a Perkin-Elmer Lambda 800 spectrophotometer before and
after the transient absorption measurements to check for pho-
todegradation. To minimize interference by the photoproducts
formed in the course of the measurements, the deoxygenated solu-
tions containing the investigated compounds in CH and AcN were
flowed through the quartz cell using a continuous-flow system.
3.2. Spectral properties
The absorption and emission spectra of the EE isomer of the
investigated compounds in two solvents are shown in Fig. 1 and
the spectral parameters are collected in Table 1.
The first absorption band, assigned to an allowed transition of
␲␲* nature, is rather strong and shows an only partially resolved
vibrational structure (with the exception of the nitro-derivative
in CH). The second strong transition (around 270–300 nm, less
intense than the first one and little structured) is assigned to the
cis peak, in analogy with the spectral behaviour reported for the
unsubstituted 2,5-distyrylfuran [6] and hetero-analogues [7,8]. In
such molecules the presence of the cis peak is due to the specific
(s-cis type) C C–C C arrangement of the central furan or pen-
tatomic heteroaryl ring. Such structural origin of the cis peak is
different from that, well known, found for arylpolyenes and simi-
lar molecules of biological interest (carotenoids and retinals) [21].
In fact, in the latter, the appearance of the cis peak is related to
the presence of double bond in cis configuration that implies a
non-linear geometry of low symmetry if compared to the corre-
sponding all-trans isomers. In a previous work [7] the similarity
of the absorption spectra of 2,5-distyryl(hetero)arenes with that
of 3-cis-␣,␻-diphenyloctatetraene [21] was explained by a similar
electronic and molecular structure, due to the scarce aromaticity of
the pentatomic central ring.
The presence of the N(CH3)2 and NO2 groups shifts the absorp-
tion by 20 and 40 nm, respectively, towards the red.
The fluorescence spectra appear to be more structured, at least
in non-polar solvent, with a vibronic progression of ca. 1400 cm−1
.
The polar solvent does not affect too much the absorption and

4
S. Ciorba et al. / Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 219 (2011) 1–9
Emission
Absorption
Absorption
Emission
X = OCH
CH
X = Cl
3
CH
AcN
AcN
4
2
0
4
2
0
300
400
500
600
700
200
300
400
500
600
λ (nm)
λ (nm)
4
5
X = NO
Absorption
Emission
2
Absorption
Emission
X = N(CH )
3 2
CH
AcN
CH
AcN
4
3
2
1
0
3
2
1
0
300
400
500
600
λ (nm)
700
800
300
400
500
600
700
λ (nm)
Fig. 1. UV–vis absorption coefficients and fluorescence emission spectra of X-DStFs in CH (dash) and AcN (solid). For X = Cl and OCH3 the absorption spectra in CH are
normalized to those in AcN.
Table 1
Spectral behaviour of the X-DStFs in two solvents at room temperature.a
max
abs
X
Solvent
ꢁ
(nm)
ꢄꢀ˜abs (cm−1
)
ꢁmF ax (nm)
ꢄꢀ˜F (cm−1
)
ꢄv˜S,max (cm−1
)
ꢄv˜S,00 (cm−1
)
Cl
CH
AcN
367sh, 386, 408sh
365sh, 384, 405sh
1370
1350
421, 448, 474
428, 453, 480
1330
1270
3590
3970
760
1330
OCH3
CH
AcN
368sh, 388, 410sh
367sh, 386, 407sh
1390
1340
422.5, 450, 477
431sh, 459
1450
1420
3550
4120
720
1370
N(CH3)2
CH
AcN
312, 322sh, 387, 410, 436sh
313, 408
1500
450.5, 481, 515, 555sh
553
1400
3600
6400
740
710
NO2
CH
AcN
405sh, 427, 453
428
1340
468, 499.5, 535
730
1340
3400
9670
a
The underlined wavelengths refer to the maxima; sh means shoulder; ꢄv˜S,00 is the difference between the 0,0 transition in absorption and emission.
emission spectra of the first two compounds (that remain in the
same region, the fluorescence spectrum loosing its structure) while
causes a marked red shift of the fluorescence spectrum for the
N(CH3)2- and NO2-derivative (by ca. 70 and 230 nm, respectively)
that leads to an increased Stokes shift (ꢄv˜S,max) in AcN (Table 1).
This behaviour points to the presence of an intramolecular charge-
transfer (ICT) state in these two compounds that is stabilized in the
polar solvent.
bonds between the aromatic groups and the double bonds (see
Scheme 2).
However, the calculated total energy values (Table 2) resulted
significantly different for the elongated, compressed and semi-
compressed conformers indicating that only the most stable
compressed rotamer is abundant in solution at room tempera-
ture, in agreement with the absence of a significant excitation and
emission wavelength effect on the emission and excitation spectra,
respectively, and with the mono-exponential decays (see below).
The calculated spectra are in good agreement with the exper-
3.3. Quantum-mechanical calculations
∼
imental ones (see Table 2). A high oscillator strength (f 1) was
=
calculated for the first transition pointing to an allowed character
These compounds can exist, in principle, as a mixture of different
rotamers that originate from free rotation around the quasi-single
as also indicated by the high kF values (see Section 3.5). As a mat-

S. Ciorba et al. / Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 219 (2011) 1–9
5
Table 3
Photoisomerization quantum yields under irradiation of the EE isomer of X-DStFs
in AcN at room temperature.
O
O
X
X
X
˚
EE→Y
˚
EE→K
elongated rotamer
semicompressed A rotamer
Cl
0.098
0.004
0.12
–
∼0.007
OCH3
N(CH3)2
NO2
0.027
–
–
O
O
X
X
X
semicompressed B rotamer
compressed rotamer
Scheme 2.
O
O
ter of fact for NO2-DStF the theoretical calculations predicted the
presence of a lowest forbidden state around 500 nm (as in the case
of other nitro-derivatives) [12]. This behaviour can be understood
taking into account the solvent effect on the state order which could
be inverted going from gas-phase to solution.
X
ZE-X-DStF
EZ-X-DStF
Scheme 3.
The calculated dipole moment of S1 (ꢅ*) was found larger than
that of S0 for all the investigated compounds. The photoexcitation
produces an increase of ꢅ particularly large in the case of the nitro-
derivative (see Table 2). Moreover, it has to be considered that
the calculated ꢅ* refers to a F.C. excited single state because no
optimization of the S1 geometry was performed.
ucts to ZE and EZ isomers (with the cis double bond adjacent to
the para-substituted and unsubstituted phenyl ring, respectively,
see Scheme 3) was made on the basis of the calculated absorption
spectra.
In the case of N(CH3)2- and NO2-DStF the absorption spec-
tra of the two photoproducts displayed different intensities of
the two main bands making possible the structural assignment
of the two compounds with different eluation times through the
comparison between experimental and calculated spectra. This
procedure, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, led to the assignment of the
photoproduct Y (second peak) to ZE and K (third peak) to EZ iso-
mer.
In the case of the Cl and OCH3 derivatives, where the absorption
spectra of the two photoproducts are not so different (Fig. 4), the
assignment was made by analogy.
Therefore, these asymmetric compounds show a preferential
photoisomerization of the double bond adjacent to the substi-
tuted benzene in agreement with a localization of the excitation
3.4. Photoreactivity
The photoisomerization quantum yields measured under irra-
diation of X-DStFs in AcN are collected in Table 3. The EE isomers
of these asymmetric compounds in non polar solvent (CH) are pho-
tostable, the exception being the nitro-derivative that produced
a small quantity of a geometrical isomer Y (the second peak in
the HPLC chromatogram, ꢂEE→Y = 0.030), that, isolated and irradi-
ated, photoconverted back to EE with a good yield (ꢂY→EE = 0.27).
On the contrary, the nitro-derivative resulted very stable in AcN
where the other X-DStFs showed photoisomerization towards the
two cis–trans stereoisomers (Y and K) with quite different yields.
The tentative assignment of the structure of the two photoprod-
Table 2
Calculated spectral properties (transition wavelength, ꢁ, and oscillator strength, f), total energy (Etot) and dipole moment (ꢅ) for the rotamers of the investigated X-DStFs.
The experimental absorption maximum (ꢁexp) and oscillator strength (fexp) are reported for comparison.
X
Conformer
Elongated
ꢅ (D)
ꢅ* (D)
Etot (kcal/mol)
−811702.063
ꢁ (nm)
f
ꢁexp (nm)
fexp
Cl
3.65
4.77
380
298
380
296
382
298
381
295
1.55
0.13
1.26
0.39
1.30
0.35
0.90
0.61
S1
S2
S1
S2
S1
S2
S1
S2
Semicomp(A)
Semicomp(B)
Compressed
3.32
3.76
3.44
4.93
4.73
4.76
−811704.500
−811704.563
−811707.000
384
283
0.94
0.41
OCH3
N(CH3)2
NO2
Elongated
2.43
2.00
3.63
3.55
−596176.688
−596181.500
378
297
383
296
1.64
0.14
0.96
0.57
S1
S2
S1
S2
Compressed
386
286
0.94
0.42
Elongated
3.02
2.88
3.86
3.34
−608157.500
−608162.438
382
302
386
298
1.71
0.12
1.01
0.74
S1
S2
S1
S3
Compressed
409
313
0.90
0.42
Elongated
7.31
7.01
20.37
19.51
−652050.188
−652055.188
500
430
348
500
435
352
0.000
1.33
0.41
0.000
0.95
0.30
S1
S3
S4
S1
S3
S4
Compressed
427
330
0.73
0.23

6
S. Ciorba et al. / Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 219 (2011) 1–9
2nd peak
ZE-NO
2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
X = NO
2
4
3th peak
3
EZ-NO
2
2
4th peak
EE-NO
2
300
400
500
λ (nm)
250 300 350 400 450 500 550
λ (nm)
Fig. 2. Absorption spectra of EE-NO2-DStF (4th peak, solid line) and the two photoproducts (2nd and 3rd peak, dash and dot, respectively) produced by irradiation of EE, as
obtained by diode-array HPLC analysis. The calculated transitions are also reported.
energy on this moiety (with the exception of methoxy-derivative
where the very low reactivity seems to be inverted), as evi-
denced in the clear case of EE-NO2-DStF by the calculated highest
occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (HOMO and
LUMO, respectively), involved in the main UV–vis transition
(Fig. 5).
3.5. Photophysical behaviour
The measured fluorescence quantum yield (ꢂF) and lifetime (ꢃF)
of the investigated compounds in non-polar solvent, reported in
Table 4, indicate that these compounds are very good fluorophores
(little smaller values were found for ꢂF and ꢃF in the case of NO2-
2nd peak
ZE-N(CH3)2
4
X = N(CH3)2
1.0
2
3
3th peak
EZ-N(CH3)2
0.5
0.0
4th peak
EE-N(CH3)
2
300
400
500
λ (nm)
250
300
350
400
450
500
λ (nm)
Fig. 3. Absorption spectra of EE-N(CH3)2-DStF (4th peak, solid line) and the two photoproducts (2nd and 3rd peak, dash and dot, respectively) produced by irradiation of EE,
as obtained by diode-array HPLC analysis. The calculated transitions are also reported.

S. Ciorba et al. / Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 219 (2011) 1–9
7
4th
peak
4th
peak
X = OCH
X = Cl
3
3th
peak
2nd
peak
2nd
peak
3th
peak
10
16
eluat1i2on time1(4min)
12
14
16
18
20
eluation time (min)
250
300
350
λ (nm)
400
450
250
300
350
400
450
λ (nm)
Fig. 4. Absorption spectra of the EE isomers (solid line) of X-DStFs and their photoproducts (2nd peak dashed and 3rd peak dotted line) in water/AcN mixture (10/90, v/v).
Insets show the HPLC chromatograms performed after irradiation.
Fig. 5. Molecular orbitals of EE-NO2-DStF as derived by ZINDO/S method. The HOMO–LUMO configuration contributes to the main electronic transition with the highest
coefficient (0.556).
8
DStF) that emit through an allowed transition (kF 2–4 × 10 s−1).
∼
reported in Figs. 6 and 7, as an example, together with the decay
=
kinetics recorded at the absorption maximum. The related parame-
ters for all the investigated compounds in two solvents are collected
in Table 5.
The spectra exhibit a band of positive absorption in the visi-
ble spectral region, which resulted red shifted and broadened for
the N(CH3)2- and NO2-derivative with respect to those of OCH3-
and Cl-DStF transients in CH. At shorter wavelengths, in the region
of the S0 → Sn absorption spectrum, a negative ꢄA signal was
recorded due to the ground state depopulation (bleaching). The
The polar solvent affects only slightly the emissive properties of
the X-DStFs with the exception of the nitro derivative whose ꢂF and
ꢃF decreased more than one order of magnitude on passing from
CH to AcN, the ꢃF value breaking down under the detectable limit
of our experimental setup (∼0.5 ns).
A parallel study of the triplet state of the investigated com-
pounds and of the analogous unsubstituted one in the two solvents
was very useful to understand the deactivation mechanism of their
excited states.
observed transients are assigned to the triplet state because they
The transient absorption spectra measured by nanosecond flash
photolysis under irradiation of Cl- and N(CH3)2-DStF at 355 nm, are
9
are efficiently quenched by oxygen (kox 1–4 × 10 M−1 s−1) and
∼
=
Table 4
Fluorimetric parametersa for the X-DStFs in deaerated CH and AcN at room temperature.
X
Solvent
˚
F
ꢃF (ns)
ꢃF/ꢃa
kF (108 s−1
)
F
Cl
CH
AcN
0.81
0.63
3.7
2.9
1.1
1.1
2.2
2.2
OCH3
CH
AcN
0.82
0.79
3.1
2.7
1.1
1.2
2.6
2.9
N(CH3)2
CH
AcN
0.83
0.70
2.2
2.4
1.1
1.1
3.8
2.9
NO2
CH
0.54
1.6
1.0
3.4
AcN
0.023
<0.5
>0.5
a
The a superscript means aerated.

8
S. Ciorba et al. / Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 219 (2011) 1–9
Table 5
Properties of the transients of the EE-X-DStFs detected in CH and AcN at room temperature by using nanosecond-resolved laser flash photolysis (ꢁexc = 355 nm).
min
abs
max
abs
b
X
Solvent
ꢁ
,
ꢁ
(nm)a,b
ꢃT (␮s)b
εT (M−1 cm−1
)
ꢂT
0.13
kox (109 M−1 s−1
)
Transient
Hc
CH
AcN
390(−), 490(+)
45
37, 62
19,400
3.0
3.0, 0.002
T1
380(−),490(+), 580(+)
0.098
T1, R•+
Cl
CH
AcN
370(−), 490(+)
70
37, 62
23,800
21,000
25,100
0.063
0.055
2.7
0.004
T1
T1, R
•
+
380(−), 490(+), 580(+)
OCH3
N(CH3)2
CH
AcN
370(−), 500(+)
31
33, 100
0.12
0.081
1.4
0.0064
T1
390(−), 510(+), 620(+)
T1, R•+
CH
AcN
400(−), 580(+)
410(−), 640(+)
74
71
0.076
<0.064
3.2
0.002
T1
R•+
NO2
CH
AcN
430(−), 530(+)
430(−), 580(+)
55
40
27,800
0.65
<0.013
3.8
0.02
T1
R•+
a
− means negative signal associated to ground state bleaching, + means positive signal of transient absorption.
The ꢃT values and corresponding kox and ꢁ values in italics refer to the radical cations.
From Ref. [23].
b
c
ΔA
A
0.030
0.015
0.000
0.03
ΔA
A
0.02
0.03
0.00
0.00
0.00
0
20
10time (μs)30
0
10
30
t2im0 e (μs)
ΔA
0.04
B
0.04
0.02
0.00
-0.02
ΔA
B
0.03
0.02
0.00
0.03
0.00
0.00
0
20
30
10time (μs)
0
20
30
10time (μs)
300
400
500
λ (nm)
600
700
-0.03
300
400
500
λ (nm)
600
700
Fig. 7. Transient absorption spectra of EE-N(CH3)2-DStFs (A) in CH, recorded at 1.1
(ꢀ), 8.1 (ꢀ), 15.8 (ꢁ) and 27.5 (ꢁ) ␮s and (B) in AcN, recorded at 0.4 (ꢀ), 5.9 (ꢀ),
13.4 (ꢁ) and 31.1 (ꢁ) ␮s after the laser pulse (ꢁexc = 355 nm). Insets: decay kinetics
recorded at 580 nm (A) and 640 nm (B).
Fig. 6. Transient absorption spectra of EE-Cl-DStFs (A) in CH recorded at 0.64 (ꢀ),
15.5 (ꢀ) and 30.9 (ꢁ) ␮s and (B) in AcN recorded at 0.4 (ꢀ), 4.7 (ꢀ), 10 (ꢁ), 18.9 (ꢁ)
and 29.9 (♦) ␮s after the laser pulse (ꢁexc = 355 nm). Insets: decay kinetics recorded
at 500 nm (A) and 490 and 580 nm (B).
(see Table 5), where the substituent induces a substantial increase
of ISC [7,12,24]. In the polar solvent the triplet yield was found
to decrease also in the case of NO2-DStF. This fact, together with
the strong reduction of ꢂF and the absence of photoisomeriza-
tion in AcN, points to the opening of a deactivation pathway that
strongly competes with the relaxation processes of S1. The large
bathochromic shift of the fluorescence spectrum of NO2-DStF in
AcN suggests that internal conversion (IC) is the main deactivation
channel considering the small S1–S0 energy gap. This behaviour is
in agreement with the ꢃF value in AcN that was estimated smaller
than 0.5 ns.
produced in sensitized experiments by a triplet energy donor [di-
(2-thienyl)ketone].
The absorption band assigned to the triplet resulted generally
shifted to the red on going from CH to AcN. Moreover, a second
transient absorption peak around 600 nm, not affected by oxygen
and characterized by a slightly different decay time, was detected
for DStF and its Cl- and OCH3-derivatives in AcN. Also the broad
absorption signals recorded for N(CH3)2- and NO2-DStF were not
significantly quenched in aerated AcN solution. These experimental
results revealed that, together with the triplet, another transient,
probably the radical cation (R•+) formed by photoionization from
excited singlet states, was produced within the laser pulse in
polar solvent, as previously found for other distyrylbenzene like
molecules [22].
4. Conclusions
The main results of this study can be summarized as:
As expected, the ISC is not an important decay channel of S1 in
the case of the unsubstituted DStF and its Cl, OCH3 and N(CH3)2
derivatives (ꢂT around 10% or less), while a substantial production
of triplet was found for the nitro-derivative in non-polar solvent
- The substitution of a H atom in the 2,5-distyrylfuran with a group
(X) that makes asymmetric its structure, does not change the
spectral behaviour when X = Cl or OCH3, but causes a positive

S. Ciorba et al. / Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry 219 (2011) 1–9
9
fluorosolvatochromism due to the introduction of ICT states, in
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank Mr. D. Pannacci for his technical assistance in
HPLC measurements.
This work was supported by grants from the Ministry of Sci-
ence, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia (grant no.
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entifica e Tecnologica (Rome, Italy) and the University of Perugia
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