Fluorescence analysis of iodinated acetophenone derivatives

•Two iodinated hydroxyacetophenones were synthetized from 4-hydroxyacetophenone.•The optical behavior of these iodinated compounds was determined and analyzed.•The optical properties were strongly altered by the presence of the iodine atom.•Iodine atoms induced a red shift of the absorption bands.•Fluorescence quantum yield was also altered by the iodine atoms.

In the present paper the synthesis and optical characterization of iodinated acetophenone, 4-hydroxy-3-iodoacetophenone and 4-hydroxy-3,5-diiodoacetophenone obtained from 4-hydroxyacetophenone, were carried out. The optical features of iodinated molecules were determined by performing the UV–Vis absorption, fluorescence and thermal lens spectroscopies. The results showed that the optical properties of the 4-hydroxyacetophenone is altered when the iodine atom is inserted, as substituent, in the aromatic ring. Although it was determined that the optical feature was changed when one iodine atom was inserted in the aromatic ring (4-hydroxy-3-iodoacetophenone), the results revealed that emission behavior was strongly altered when two iodine atoms (4-hydroxy-3,5-diiodoacetophenone) were acting as substituents: the fluorescence quantum efficiency increases approximately 60%.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide