Absorption, fluorescence, and semiempirical ASED-MO studies on a typical Brooker's merocyanine dye

Solvatochromism and Solvatofluorchromism of Brooker's merocyanine 1-methyl-4- (4′-hydroxystyryl) pyridinium betaine, M, were studied in twelve polar protic and aprotic solvents. Moderate hypsochromic fluorescence energy shifts are 4.57 kcal mole−1 while strong hypsochromic absorption energy shifts are 16.63 kcal mole−1. Decreasing of the dipole moment of M upon excitation is the factor, which is responsible for the difference between the two energy shifts. The change of both energies rectilinearly with solvent acidity scale shows the importance of oxygen atom of M as a strong basic center. The application of the atom superposition and electron delocalization molecular orbital (ASED-MO) theory reproduces geometrical and electronic structures for M, which agree well with the experimental observations. The calculations suggest strongly that the dye has a benzenoid valence structure in the ground state and shifts towards a quinonoid one upon excitation with an observed decreasing of the dipole moment. The changing of the dipole moment is explained clearly depending upon the calculated charge distribution over the whole skeleton of the molecule. The formation of a H-bond between the water molecule and the highly negative oxycyclic oxygen atom of M has slightly effect on its dipole moment in the ground state. This leads to suggest that this kind of interaction could be represented as attacking of water with acidic character on the basic site of M. Also, the calculations predict that the formation of monohydrated complex is an exothermic, down hill reaction, which is confirmed from the stabilization of the frontier molecular orbitals, oxygen lone-pair and the HOMO levels.