Near-Infrared Hydrophobic Probes as Molecular Light Switch for CMC Determination of Triton X-100 Solution

The fluorescence behavior of two near-infrared (NIR) chromophores with linear alkyl chains of different lengths, 2-4'chloro-7'(3"ethyl-2"benzothiazolinylidene)-3',5'-(1',3'-propanediyl)-1',3',5'-heptantriene-1'-yl]-3-ethylbenzo- thiazolium iodide (Probe I) and 2-4'chloro-7'(3"hexadecyl-2"benzothiazolinylidene)-3',5'-(1',3'-propanediyl)- 1',3',5'-heptantriene-1'-yl]-3-ethylbenzothiazolium iodide (Probe II), in aqueous solution containing different con-centrations of surfactants was studied. The fluorescence of the probe with a short chain (probe I) was completely quenched in water and aqueous solution containing a low concentration (below the critical micelle concentration, CMC) of surfactant Triton X-100. However, the fluorescence reappeared and reached maximum rapidly once the concentration of the surfactant approached the CMC. The probe with a long chain (probe II) displayed a similar fluorescence behavior but more dramatically fluorescent recovery in Triton X-100 system, which gave a direct in-dication for the micelle forming process and provided a simple method for the determination of the critical micelle concentration of the surfactant. The CMC values determined by this method were in good agreement with those ob-tained by other techniques. The fluorescence behavior of the two probes in other surfactant systems was also inves-tigated.