Twisted intramolecular charge transfer states in 2-arylbenzotriazoles: Fluorescence deactivation via intramolecular electron transfer rather than proton transfer

Ultraviolet absorbers such as Tinuvin P (2-(2-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)benzotriazole), 1, achieve their exceptional photostabilities as a result of deactivation of excited singlet states through excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). Adding a methyl group to the 6' position of 2-arylbenzotriazoles reveals an additional excited singlet state deactivation mechanism in this class of molecules which does not require intramolecular hydrogen bonding. Steady state fluorescence and fluorescence lifetime measurements for a series of 6'-methyl-2-arylbenzotriazoles provides compelling evidence for a twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) mechanism of excited singlet state deactivation. Due to the steric requirements of the 6'-methyl group, conformations are favored in which the phenyl and triazole rings are no longer coplanar. In the case of compound 11 (2-(6-methoxy-2,3-dimethylphenyl)-2H-benzotriazole), the presence of a 2'-methoxy group enhances nonplanarity and results in large deactivation rates. Compound 12 (2-(6-methoxy-2,3-dimethylphenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-2H-benzotriazole), which possesses both twist and enhanced donor/acceptor properties, undergoes the most efficient fluorescence quenching for the methoxyarylbenzotriazoles. Compounds with both a 6'-methyl and a hydroxy group on the phenyl ring exhibit diffusion controlled quenching (k(q) = 2 x 10(10) M-1 s(-1)) by DMSO. This quenching appears to result from either partial or complete excited state proton transfer to DMSO, which enhances TICT deactivation of the singlet excited state.