Dual emission of temperature-induced betacarboline self-associated hydrogen bond aggregates

Abstract

A systematic study of the influence of the gradual temperature decrease on the UV-vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectra of betacarboline, 9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole, BC, and other model systems, such as BC plus N₉-methyl-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole, MBC, and BC plus pyridine, PY, has been carried out in 2-methylbutane, 2MB. These studies have allowed the conclusion that the temperature decrease favours the formation of hydrogen-bonded self-associated BC aggregates. The initial red shifts of the absorption and emission bands and the fluorescence quenching have been ascribed to the formation of hydrogen bond BC dimers with a proton transfer structure, PTC. In these adducts, the fluorescence is quenched by an electron-driven proton transfer process. However, because the quenching rate constant decreases upon decreasing the temperature, the emission intensity later increases without modification of the wavelength maxima. At the lowest temperatures, these dimeric PTC complexes further aggregate. We propose that they form ground state cyclic tetrameric adducts in which both nitrogen atoms of each BC unit are hydrogen bonded. The tautomeric forms of these tetrameric complexes, generated by a quadruple proton transfer, emit dual fluorescence, from its locally excited state, LE, and its intramolecular charge transfer state, ICT.