Synthesis, DFT calculations, cyclic voltammetry and antibacterial activities of a new blue-violet dye and a new blue-green fluorescent heterocyclic system

The new blue-violet dye 2-(3-hydroxyimino-2,3-dihydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-2-yliden)-2-(2-thienyl)acetonitrile was prepared in high yield from the reaction of 3-nitroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine with 2-(2-thienyl)acetonitrile by nucleophilic substitution of hydrogen. Acylation of the hydroxyl group led to a new heterocyclic system, (pyrido[2′,1′:2,3] imidazo[4,5-b]thieno[2,3-e]pyridine-11-carbonitrile) with very strong blue-green fluorescent properties. Physical, spectral and analytical data have confirmed the structures of the synthesized dyes. The optical and solvatochromic properties of these compounds were investigated and showed interesting photophysical properties. Density functional theory calculations of blue-violet and fluorescent dyes were performed to provide the optimized geometries, Mulliken atomic charges, relevant frontier orbitals and the prediction of 1H NMR chemical shifts. The electrochemical properties of these dyes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and an oxidation wave was observed at a half-wave potential of −0.143 V versus SCE for the blue-violet dye. Also, these new compounds exhibited potent antibacterial activity against Gram positive and negative bacterial species.