Solution phase photophysics of 5,7-dimethoxy-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazol-1-one: Analysing the lineaments of a new fluorosensor to probe different micro-environments

We present here a detailed photophysical study of a newly synthesised fluorophore 5,7-dimethoxy-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-carbazol-1-one (KTHC-57). Spectroscopic investigation of the compound has been carried out in 14 different protic and aprotic solvents, as well as in different binary solvent mixtures, using absorption, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence techniques. The spectral behaviour of this compound is found to be extremely sensitive to the polarity and hydrogen bonding nature of the solvent. When considered in micelles, reverse micelles and β-cyclodextrin, KTHC-57 behaves as a reporter of its immediate microenvironment. Extent of hypsochromic shift varies as we move from cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (~40 nm) to anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate (~23 nm) to non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100 (~37 nm). In case of anionic reverse micellar nanocavities composed of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT)/heptane with increasing water contents, a bathochromic shift of ~50 nm is observed. A quantitative assessment of the emission intensity data on Benesi-Hildebrand equation reveals a 1:1 stoichiometry for KTHC-57:β-CD complex. Triethylamine (TEA) is a simple aliphatic organic molecule that interacts with KTHC-57 in polar aprotic medium. Within β-CD environment, fluorescence quenching takes place along with a bathochromic shift. Interaction of (TEA) with KTHC-57 in β-CD nano-confinement is studied using absorption spectroscopy, steady-state as well as time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy and laser flash photolysis in conjunction with an external magnetic field.