Synthesis and optical properties of a new lipophilic derivative of rhodamine B1

In this paper, a new rhodamine B lauryl amine (RBL) lipophilic derivative was synthesized by amidation of phenyl carboxylic group of RB with lauryl amine, and then its optical properties were studied on different conditions, such as varied excitation wavelengths, different kinds of solvents, pH values, etc. The results show that the absorption and emission spectra are significant different with the different structures of RBL. The absorption intensity of RBL in solvents with weak acidic proton was stronger than that in aprotic solvent because the former one can form hydrogen bond and thus stabilize the opened form of RBL. The fluorescence emission of RBL in dichloromethane and ethanol was stronger than that in acetone, tetrahydrofuran and water. It indicated that most of RBL molecules were in opened form in dichloromethane and ethanol, but in closed form in acetone, tetrahydrofuran and water. Finally, the influence of pH values was studied, and found that the intensity and position of absorption and emission peaks were almost the same in the whole acidic range, but changed a lot in alkaline medium.