Solvent effects on the absorption and fluorescence spectra of coumarins 6 and 7 molecules: Determination of ground and excited state dipole moment

Absorption and fluorescence emission spectra of coumarins 6 and 7 were recorded in solvents with different solvent parameters, viz., dielectric constant c and refractive index n. The fluorescence lifetime of these dyes were measured in butanol at higher values of viscosity over temperature. Experimental ground and excited state dipole moments are determined by means of solvatochrornic shift method and also the excited state dipole moments are determined in combination with ground state dipole moments. It was determined that dipole moments of the excited state were higher than those of the ground state in both the molecules. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.