SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND PHOTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF POTENTIALLY EMITTING TETRAZINE DERIVATIVES

Dr. Pavel Anzenbacher Jr. Tetrazines are aromatic compounds that consist of a six membered ring containing four nitrogens. They are not as much explored as light emitting materials as compared to other common organic compounds. Still they are likely to be important for as substrates for HEDM (High Energy Density Materials), sensors (for anions), important chromophoric materials (absorption and emission wavelengths in distinct regions), fluorescent probes (gives color to an organic compound) and possible day to day standard and useful organic molecular reference in photo physical studies. Much research still needs to be done on tetrazines in order to understand comparisons with the benzene ring with regard to reactivity, electron affinity, and photooptical properties as well as reaction mechanisms, as well as different types of reactions. A series of tetrazine derivatives with varying substitution patterns were successfully synthesized, characterized and preliminary photochemical studies were performed using them. Special quantitative 13C NMR techniques were employed in characterizing these compounds. Their emission wavelengths were found to be independent of the excitation wavelength. Longer singlet excited state life times of monosubstituted tetrazines were obtained which may be due to the formation of an intramolecular charge transfer state. A study of solvent effect based on polarity on these life times would be interesting to characterize the nature and stability of the formed charge transfer state.