Exploring the Solvatochromism in Hydroxyquinoline Derivative: An Experimental and Simulated DFT Study

The present investigation employed a variety of polarity functions, including Kamlet's and Catalan's methods, to examine the effects of solvents on the photophysical properties of compound1-(((4-bromophenyl) amino) (4-methoxyphenyl) methyl)-6-hydroxyquinoline-2 (1H)-one (4BMHQ). Variations in the solvent polarity did not affect the absorption spectral peak; however, we found that the fluorescence spectral peak redshifted by 16 nm as the solvent polarity rose. Along with interactions between solute and solvent, the system also features general hydrogen bonding interactions. However, hydrogen bonding interactions are less significant than solute-solvent interactions. Solvatochromic data was utilized to obtain the excited state dipole moments, whereas the ground state dipole moment was computed through the application of quantum chemistry. The dipole moment in the excited state is found to be greater than that in the ground state. DFT studies reveal a molecule’s most stable structure and molecular properties. The structure of the compound was examined using molecular parameters such as HOMO-LUMO energy, global descriptors and the potential energy surface.