title: Thermosolvatochromism of merocyanine polarity indicators in pure and aqueous solvents: relevance of solvent lipophilicity.
abstract: The following novel solvatochromic probes were synthesized: 2,6-dibromo-4-[(E)-2-(1-alkylpyridinium-4-yl)ethenyl] phenolate, where the alkyl groups are methyl, n-butyl, n-hexyl, and n-octyl, respectively. Solvatochromism of three of these probes (C(1), C(4), and C(8)) was studied in 36 protic and aprotic solvents. A modified linear solvation energy relationship has been applied to the data obtained at 25 degrees C. Correlation of (empirical) polarities with other solvent properties showed more dependence on lipophilicity than on basicity. A similar conclusion has been reached for a series of other solvatochromic indicators. Exceptions are those that carry acidic hydrogens, being biased toward solvent basicity. Thermosolvatochromism has been studied in mixtures of water with methanol, 1-propanol, acetonitrile, and DMSO. Thermosolvatochromic data have been treated according to a model that explicitly considers the presence in bulk solution of three "species": water, organic component, and solvent-water hydrogen-bonded aggregate. Solvation by the latter is favored over solvation by either of the two precursor solvents (aqueous DMSO is an exception). Temperature increase resulted in desolvation of the probes, due to concomitant decrease of the structures of the component solvents. The above-mentioned modified solvation equation has been successfully applied to solvatochromism in aqueous methanol and aqueous 1-propanol.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, C.P. 26077, 05513-970, São Paulo S.P., Brazil.
authors.forename: Clarissa T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Michelle S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Omar A El
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Seoud