Possibility of conformation control of Micheler's ketone encapsulated into sol–gel matrices

The fluorescence spectra of Michler's ketone (4,4′-bis(dimethylamino)benzophenone) with varying composition of starting chemicals of silicon alkoxides and solvents have been observed during various stages of the sol–gel reaction. Among the reaction systems, the fluorescence spectra in the systems including phenyl and methyl substituted alkoxysilanes or chloroform as a starting reactant showed an explicitly broad and red-shifted TICT (twisted intramolecular charge transfer)-like fluorescence, though the shift was not large compared with that observed in solution. The results showed that a possibility to control flexible conformation of Michler's ketone in rigid environment.