The fluorescence quenching of 1,4-bis[2-(5-phenyl-oxazolyl)]-benzene by bromomethanes

The interaction between the ground and excited states of 1,4-bis2-(5-phenyloxazolyl)]-benzene and bromomethanes such as CBr₄, CHBr₃ and CH₂Br₂ were investigated in benzene. Distinct complex formation was not observed either in the ground state or in the excited states. The excited singlet and triplet states are deactivated by these bromomethanes. The triplet yield is increased on the addition of CHBr₃ or CH₂Br₂, whereas it is decreased on the addition of CBr₄. The fluorescence quenching rate constants k_q at 23 °C were determined to be 1.6 × 10¹⁰ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, 3.6 × 10⁸M⁻¹s⁻¹ and 2.4 × 10⁷M⁻¹s⁻¹ for CBr₄, CHBr₃ and CH₂Br₂ respectively. The rate constants k_ST′ of the enhanced intersystem crossing associated with the fluorescence quenching were evaluated from emission—absorption flash photolysis experiments as 3.0 × 10⁸ M⁻¹s⁻¹, 1.9 × 10⁸ M⁻¹s⁻¹ and 5.1 × 10⁷ M⁻¹s⁻¹ for CBr₄, CHBr₃ and CH₂Br₂ respectively. k_ST′ increases with increasing number of bromine atoms contained in the quencher, so that the enhanced intersystem crossing is due to the external heavy-atom effect of the quencher. The apparent triplet yield for the quenching system depends not only on k_ST′ but also on the rates of the other non-radiative processes. This is the reason why the apparent triplet yield does not necessarily increase on fluorescence quenching by bromomethanes.