ESIPT-Capable 4-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-(Pyridin-2-yl)-1<i>H</i>-Imidazoles with Single and Double Proton Transfer: Synthesis, Selective Reduction of the Imidazolic OH Group and Luminescence

Abstract

1H-Imidazole derivatives establish one of the iconic classes of ESIPT-capable compounds (ESIPT = excited state intramolecular proton transfer). This work presents the synthesis of 1-hydroxy-4-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-5-methyl-2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-imidazole (LOH,OH) as the first example of ESIPT-capable imidazole derivatives wherein the imidazole moiety simultaneously acts as a proton acceptor and a proton donor. The reaction of LOH,OH with chloroacetone leads to the selective reduction of the imidazolic OH group (whereas the phenolic OH group remains unaffected) and to the isolation of 4-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-5-methyl-2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-imidazole (LH,OH), a monohydroxy congener of LOH,OH. Both LOH,OH and LH,OH demonstrate luminescence in the solid state. The number of OH···N proton transfer sites in these compounds (one for LH,OH and two for LOH,OH) strongly affects the luminescence mechanism and color of the emission: LH,OH emits in the light green region, whereas LOH,OH luminesces in the orange region. According to joint experimental and theoretical studies, the main emission pathway of both compounds is associated with T1 → S0 phosphorescence and not related to ESIPT. At the same time, LOH,OH also exhibits S1 → S0 fluorescence associated with ESIPT with one proton transferred from the hydroxyimidazole moiety to the pyridine moiety, which is not possible for LH,OH due to the absence of the hydroxy group in the imidazole moiety.

Keywords

• imidazole
• 2-hydroxyphenyl group
• hydrogen bond
• ESIPT
• luminescence