Reductive fluorescence quenching of DMP with aniline

The photoinduced electron transfer (PET) between 8-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3,5-di[(E)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)methylidene]-1,2,3,5,6,7-hexahydrodicyclopenta[b,e]pyridine (DMP) and aniline is studied in acetonitrile medium by using steady state and time resolved absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic methods. Bimolecular quenching rate constants (kq) were calculated from the obtained linear Stern–Volmer plots from both steady state and time resolved measurements. The rate constant (kq) for PET between DMP and aniline is 1.4×1010M−1s−1, which is in diffusion control limit. The free energy change (ΔG0) has been evaluated by using Rehm–Weller equation for the evidence of electron transfer from aniline to DMP. Direct evidence for the electron transfer reaction in the present system has been obtained by characterizing the aniline cation radical using nanosecond time resolved absorption measurements in the visible region. Further, this quenching mechanism is attributed to be reductive in nature i.e. electron transfer occurs from ground state aniline to excited DMP. This is the first example of reductive fluorescence quenching of DMP with aniline in acetonitrile ever known. •Photoinduced electron transfer between DMP and aniline using time resolved absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy has been investigated.•Reductive quenching behavior was observed.•Direct evidence for the ET reaction in the present system has been obtained by characterizing the aniline cation radical.