Cucurbit[n]urils-induced room temperature phosphorescence of quinoline derivatives Original Research Article

The cucurbit[7,8]urils (Q[7] and Q[8])-induced room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of quinoline and its derivatives were firstly found in the cucurbit[n]urils chemistry. The luminophores (quinolines) and their RTP are affected by the concentration of different Q[n]s, heavy metal ions and amounts, and pH. The RTP lifetime of the luminophore has been investigated. In presence of Na2SO3, the cation Tl+ led to stronger Q[n]-induced RTP, while the RTP lifetimes of luminophore/Q[7 or 8]/KI were generally longer than that of luminophore/Q[7 or 8]/TlNO3, the RTP lifetimes of these systems were between 0.18 and 47.4 ms. Contrary to the stable 1:2 Q[8]:guest ternary inclusion complexes at lower pHs, as suggested by 1H NMR, electronic absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, low Q[8]-induced room temperature phosphorescence was observed. However, at higher pHs, high intensity of cucurbit[n]urils-induced room temperature phosphorescence of these quinoline derivatives were observed, and a 1:1 Q[8]:guest inclusion complex was formed. Investigations of dependence of RTP intensity on concentration of Q[n] revealed that the highest intensity of the Q[n]-induced RTP was observed at a low mole ratio of host:guest, which is closed to 1:1. It was presumably resulted from the strong interaction of Q[n] and these guests due to the combined hydrophobic cavity interaction and the hydrophilic portal interaction of the cucurbit[n]urils with the nitrogen heterocycles guest.