5-[4--1,3-oxazole as a fluorescent probe for monitoring microheterogeneous media

The N,N-dimethylamino-γ-pyridine analog of 2,5-diaryl-1,3-oxazole has been synthesized. Quantum-chemical modeling was carried out for the electronic absorption spectra and the effect of hydrogen bonding between the pyridine nitrogen atom and the water molecule on these spectra. The calculation results were compared with the experimental data for the solvent effect on the spectra of this compound. The feasibility of practical application of this derivative as a fluorescent probe was tested for determining the critical micelle concentration in aqueous solutions of nonionic, zwitterionic, cationic, and anionic surfactants. Keywords: 2,5-diaryl-1,3-oxazole derivatives, Bader's AIM theory, critical micelle concentration, ESS analysis of electronic excitations, fluorescent probe, quantum-chemical calculations, solvatochromism.