Exploring anionic emission of 2-benzoyl benzimidazole in micellar environments

In this paper, an interesting transformation of the emission of anionic conformer of 2-benzoyl bezimidazole in ionic and non-ionic micelles is reported. Deprotonation is hindered in cationic and non-ionic micelles owing to probe moleculeʹs passage deep inside positive ion-rich Stern-layer in contrast with anionic micelle. The orientation of probe molecule in the two ionic micelles, as determined from the spectral properties is opposite in nature. Micellar environment shields the formation of mono- and di-cationic species at very low pH. Three decay times of the probe in different time domains were attributed to three possible anionic species and they are modified differently in ionic and neutral micelles. Quantum chemical calculations also predict the existence of three different possible anionic species.