Probing metal ion complexation with salicylic acid and its derivatives with excited state proton transfer and luminescence anisotropy

Salicylic acid and its derivatives in which the phenolic proton is preserved show a characteristic dual fluorescence: one band in the UV, due to a {open_quotes}normal{close_quotes} excited state emission, and the other in the visible range, is assigned to excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). The transition energy, quantum yield and fluorescence lifetime as well as fluorescence anisotropy are sensitive to the solvent environment, temperature and properties of the substituents (complexation) at the phenolic and carboxylic oxygens. The ESIPT band disappears in molecules in which the intramolecular hydrogen bond between phenolic hydrogen and the carbonyl oxygen is prohibited. In this work, the complexation of Na(I), Ca(II), Al(III) and La(III) with salicylic acid, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, methylsalicylate and anisic acid in both aqueous and non-aqueous solvents has been studied by absorption and steady state luminescence spectroscopy, picosecond to nanosecond luminescence lifetimes and luminescence anisotropy measurements in a range of solvent and in ethanol at 77 K. Speciation in these complex systems, binding characteristics between the metal ion and the ligand, and ligand-centered energetics are discussed in terms of the spectroscopic properties, luminescence and anisotropy decay kinetics.