Influence oftert-butyl alcohol on cyclodextrin inclusion complexes of pyrene

The effect oftert-butyl alcohol on complexes of pyrene and various cyclodextrins is investigated. The equilibrium constant for the complexation is derived from the fluorescence decay parameters. A greater than twofold enhancement of pyrene lifetime is observed in the presence oftert-butyl alcohol and -cyclodextrin or -cyclodextrin. As the number of hydroxyl groups decreases, substituted -cyclodextrins show smaller enhancements to both the fluorescence lifetime and the formation constant. These observations are explained by proposing that alcohol molecules are associated with the inclusion complex. This association increases the apparent hydrophobicity of the cyclodextrin cavity, protects the molecule from collisional quenching and deactivation, and provides additional rigidity to the system.