Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy of 2,9-di-n-pentyl-5,6,11,12-tetraazo-5,6,11,12-tetrahydrocoronene-5,6,11,1 2-tetracarboxy-bis-n-heptadecylimide

Abstract The photophysical properties of 2,9-di- n -pentyl-5,6,11,12-tetraazo-5,6,11,12-tetrahydrocoronene-5,6,11,12-tetracarboxy-bis- n -heptadecylimide (P5–17) in solution are investigated as a function of concentration. In 2-methyltetrahydrofuran, above 2 × 10 −5 M, a new absorption band with a maximum at 688 nm is observed indicating the formation of an aggregate. Upon excitation in this absorption band, emission from the aggregate with a maximum at 710 nm is observed. This emission coincides with that of the liquid crystalline discotic phase. The rotational dynamics of P5–17 and its aggregate are investigated using steady-state fluorescence measurements and time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy. From the global analysis of the polarised fluorescence decay traces, it is found that for both monomer and aggregate, the anisotropy decay can be described by a monoexponential decay law. The rotational correlation time for the monomer is linked over two excitation wavelengths corresponding to S 0 → S 1 and S 0 → S n transitions. For the aggregate, the excitation and emission dipoles are perpendicular and a fast fluorescence depolarization was observed.