Nuclear magnetic resonance and optosensing properties of di-2-thienyl ketone p-nitrophenylhydrazone (DSKNPH) in non-aqueous media

The compound di-2-thienyl ketone p-nitrophenylhydrazone (DSKNPH) melting point 168-170 °C was isolated in good yield from the reaction between di-2-thienyl ketone (DSK) and p-nitrophenylhydrazine in refluxing ethanol containing a few drop of concentrated HCl. Nuclear magnetic resonance studies on DSKNPH in non-aqueous solvents revealed strong solvent and temperature dependence due to solvent-solute interactions. Optical measurements on DSKNPH in DMSO in the presence and absence of KPF₆ gave extinction coefficients of 83,300±2000 and 25,600±2000 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 612 and 427 nm at 295 K. In CH₂Cl₂, extinction coefficient of 34,000±2000 M⁻¹ cm⁻¹ was calculated at 422 nm. When DMSO solutions of DSKNPH were allowed to interact with DMSO solutions of NaBH₄ the low energy electronic state becomes favorable and when DMSO solutions of DSPKNPH where allowed to interact with DMSO solutions of KPF₆ or NaBF₄, the high energy electronic state becomes favorable. The reversible BH₄⁻/BF₄⁻ interconversion points to physical interactions between these species and DSKNPH and hints to the possible use of DSKNPH as a spectrophotometric sensor for a variety of physical and chemical stimuli. Thermo-optical measurements on DSKNPH in DMSO confirmed the reversible interconversion between the high and low energy electronic states of DSKNPH and allowed for the calculations of the thermodynamic activation parameters of DSKNPH. Changes in enthalpy (ΔH^∅) of +57.67±4.20; 27.15±0.90 kJ mol⁻¹, entropy (ΔS^∅) of +160±12.88; 83±2.91 J mol⁻¹ and free energy (ΔG^∅) of −8.52±0.40; 2.66±0.25 kJ mol⁻¹ were calculated at 295 K in the absence and presence of NaBH₄, respectively. Manipulation of the equilibrium distribution of the high and low energy electronic states of DSKNPH allowed for the use of these systems (DSKNPH and surrounding solvent molecules) as molecular sensors for group I and II metal ions. Group I and II metal ions in concentrations as low as 1.00×10⁻⁵ M can be detected and determined using DSKNPH in DMSO.