Acridine – a Promising Fluorescence Probe of Non-Covalent Molecular Interactions

Abstract

Abstract Fluorescence and absorption spectral parameters of acridine have been studied in solution at room temperature in the presence of different proton donors aiming to inspect whether or not acridine can be used as a spectroscopic probe suitable to measure the geometry of hydrogen bonds under different conditions. It has been shown that the most appropriate spectral parameter is the position of fluorescence maximum that changes heavily upon a contraction of the N···H distance. Presumably, also the intensity of the maximum strongly depends on the hydrogen bond geometry. These two parameters can be used to establish two independent, mutually complementary correlations connecting the spectral manifestations and the geometry of hydrogen bond.