Structure-fluorescence relationship of push-pull 2-phenylbenzothiazole derivatives designed based on the firefly light-emitter

6-Dimethylamino-2-phenylbenzothiazole (1a) mimicking the firefly oxyluciferin structure and the derivatives with an electron-withdrawing substituent on the phenyl group were prepared, and their fluorescence properties were investigated in various solvents. 1a showed solvatochromic fluorescence with good fluorescence quantum yields (Φ_f >0.8). The introduction of an electron-withdrawing group led to a red-shift of the emission maximum. In particular, the derivatives with the 2,2-dicyanoethenyl and (1,3-dihydro-1,3-dioxo-2H-inden-2-ylidene)methyl groups showed near-infrared fluorescence in chloroform. In addition, the derivative with the phenylimine moiety showed efficient solid-state fluorescence, resulted from a molecular arrangement inhibiting intermolecular interactions for quenching the fluorescence state in crystals.