Rotational diffusion of coumarin laser dye studied by fluorescence depolarization technique

Solute-solvent interactions play a major role in determining the physiochemical properties of solutions. Yet our understanding of this subject is far from complete. Rotational diffusion studies of medium-sized molecules provide a useful means to probe these interactions. The rate of diffusion is sensitive to the shape of the molecule and interaction between the solute and solvent molecules. Because of continuous interactions with their neighbours, molecules rotating in liquid, experience friction. By modeling this friction using various continuum-based theories, we can get better insight into the nature of the solute-solvent interactions. In the present work steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence polarization studies have been carried out with coumarin 30. The rotational reorientation of this probe has been measured in butanol at higher values of viscosity over temperature. However, it was found that coumarin 30 rotates faster in butanol compared to n-octanenitrile.