Y. Meng et al.
Dyes and Pigments 187 (2021) 109127
Table 1
The photophysical data of 1–8.
compound
λabs(nm)a
λem(nm)b
Stokes shift (nm)b
λem(nm) solid
ΦFc solid
τ
(ns)d solid
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
271,277
272,278
271,277
271,277
271,277
271,277
258,271,277
271,277
373
432
355
346
376
334
361
354
96
154
78
69
99
57
84
77
401
425
423
358
350
350
427
406
1.9%
5.3%
10.3%
11.4%
0.5%
3.5%
6.8%
4.8%
1.30
1.59
5.03
3.33
0.86
9.39
1.40
5.37
a
Measured in 0.1 mM DMSO solution.
Measured in 10 mM DMSO solution.
b
c
Absolute fluorescence quantum yield measured by using the calibrated integrating sphere system.
d
τ
= average fluorescence or phosphorescence lifetime calculated by
τ
= ΣAiτ2i /ΣAiτi, where Ai is the pre-exponential factor for lifetime τi
.
2H)⋅13C NMR (126 MHz, CDCl3) δ 161.20, 151.73, 147.39, 139.72,
139.97, 134.55, 133.68, 124.81, 123.92, 121.63, 118.49, 117.74,
110.30, 109.31.
128.93, 125.40, 123.48, 122.39, 119.12, 117.72, 108.85.
2.2.2. 2-(4-methoxyphenoxy)benzo[d]oxazole (2)
2.2.8. 2-(4-fluorophenoxy)benzo[d]oxazole (8)
Yield: 67%. TLC (SiO2, petroleum ether/ethyl acetate 10:1); Rf =
0.40.1H NMR (500 MHz,CDCl3) δ 7.50 (d, J = 7.4 Hz, 1H), 7.41 (d, J =
9.1 Hz, 1H), 7.32 (d, J = 9.0 Hz, 2H), 7.28–7.20 (m, 2H), 6.97 (d, J = 9.0
Hz, 2H)⋅13C NMR (126 MHz, CDCl3) δ 162.82, 157.65, 148.44, 146.28,
140.77, 124.41, 123.24, 121.22, 118.64, 114.85, 109.80, 55.63.
Yield: 62%. TLC (SiO2, petroleum ether/ethyl acetate 8:1); Rf =
0.40.1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.50 (d, J = 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.44–7.37
(m, 3H), 7.30–7.20 (m, 2H), 7.14 (t, J = 8.4 Hz, 2H)⋅13C NMR (126 MHz,
CDCl3) δ 162.22, 161.39, 159.44, 148.49, 148.41, 140.57, 124.55,
123.50, 121.81, 121.75, 118.72, 116.69, 116.50, 109.88.
2.2.3. 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)benzo[d]oxazole (3)
3. Results and discussion
Yield: 65%. TLC (SiO2, petroleum ether/ethyl acetate 8:1); Rf
=
0.40.1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.52 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 1H), 7.45–7.41
(m, 3H), 7.39 (d, J = 9.0 Hz, 2H), 7.30–7.23 (m, 2H)⋅13C NMR (126
MHz, CDCl3) δ 160.85, 150.10, 147.38, 139.49, 130.82, 128.97, 123.62,
122.61, 120.55, 117.76, 108.93.
3.1. Spectroscopic study in solution
The general scheme for the synthesis of benzoxazole derivatives 1–8
and their molecular structures are shown in Scheme 1. These compounds
are readily prepared in good yields from 2-chlorobenzoxazole by a base-
assisted nucleophilic phenoxide substitution reaction [8]. The structures
of all compounds were characterized by 1H NMR and 13C NMR. These
benzoxazole derivatives could be dissolved in various solvents, such as
toluene, THF, DCM and DMSO.
2.2.4. 2-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy)benzo[d]oxazole (4)
Yield: 60%. TLC (SiO2, petroleum ether/ethyl acetate 10:1); Rf =
0.30.1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.75 (d, J = 8.5 Hz, 2H), 7.60 (d, J =
8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.54 (dd, J = 7.0, 2.2 Hz, 1H), 7.46 (dd, J = 7.2, 2.1 Hz,
1H), 7.30 (qd, J = 7.4, 1.6 Hz, 2H). 13C NMR (126 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ
160.99, 154.96, 147.96, 140.02, 127.43, 124.76, 123.83, 121.38,
118.41, 110.27.
The absorption and emission spectra of compounds 1–8 in solution
are investigated (Fig. 1), and the detailed photophysical data are sum-
marized in Table 1. These compounds show similar absorption peaks in
DMSO solution at around 271 and 277 nm, which indicate that they
have similar electronic band gaps. The different substitution groups on
phenyl ring have little influence on the absorption profiles except
compound 7, which have a stronger absorption peak at 258 nm. This
2.2.5. 2-(4-bromophenoxy)benzo[d]oxazole (5)
Yield: 75%. TLC (SiO2, petroleum ether/ethyl acetate 10:1); Rf =
0.40.1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.59 (d, J = 8.9 Hz, 2H), 7.52 (dd, J =
7.2, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 7.43 (dd, J = 7.6, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 7.34 (d, J = 8.8 Hz, 2H),
7.31–7.19 (m, 2H)⋅13C NMR (126 MHz, CDCl3) δ 161.80, 151.70,
148.41, 140.52, 133.00, 124.66, 123.67, 121.98, 119.53, 118.82,
109.97, 99.99.
could be ascribed to the π-π* transition on the para cyano-phenyl ring.
To obtain the emission spectra of compounds 1–8, their dilute solution
in DMSO (10ꢀ 6 M) were illuminated under UV light with 270–320 nm.
Surprisingly, almost no fluorescent intensity was detected under these
conditions. Further experiments reveal that only at much higher con-
centrations can we detect remarkable fluorescent intensity. Thus, the
fluorescence emission spectra of these compounds were obtained in
their DMSO solution with a concentration of 10ꢀ 2 M. Nearly all com-
pounds exhibit fluorescent emissions in UV light range from 346 to 376
nm except compound 2, which shows a quite different fluorescent
spectrum with a larger Stokes shift. It has an obviously red-shifted
emission band at 432 nm with a shoulder at 376 nm. To explain the
special emission behaviors of compound 2, we studied its optical
properties in various solvents with different polarities (Figure S1). Upon
excitation, the solutions of 2 in toluene and chloroform showed fluo-
rescent emissions at around 375 nm, while the emission peaks were red-
shifted to around 420 nm in relatively polar solvents such as MeCN and
2.2.6. 1,4-bis(benzo[d]oxazol-2-yloxy)benzene (6)
Yield: 63%. TLC (SiO2, petroleum ether/ethyl acetate 15:1); Rf =
0.40.1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.56 (s, 4H), 7.53 (d, J = 7.3 Hz, 2H),
7.45 (d, J = 9.2 Hz, 2H), 7.31–7.24 (m, 4H). 13C NMR (126 MHz, CDCl3)
δ 160.82, 149.29, 147.39, 139.56, 123.60, 122.60, 120.61, 117.78,
108.94.
2.2.7. 4-(benzo[d]oxazol-2-yloxy)benzonitrile (7)
Yield: 65%. TLC (SiO2, petroleum ether/ethyl acetate 8:1); Rf
=
0.40.1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.79 (d, J = 8.8 Hz, 2H), 7.65 (d, J =
8.8 Hz, 2H), 7.55 (d, J = 7.0 Hz, 1H), 7.47 (d, J = 7.3 Hz, 1H), 7.37–7.27
(m, 2H)⋅13C NMR (126 MHz, DMSO) δ 168.28, 160.68, 155.35, 147.95,
3