Surface enhanced Raman scattering of 2,2' biquinoline adsorbed on colloidal silver particles

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) in silver sol and normal Raman spectra in the bulk and in solution of 2,2' biquinoline (BQ) molecule have been investigated. The observed Raman bands along with their corresponding FTIR bands have been assigned based on the established assignments of the vibrational bands of the parent napthalene and quinoline molecules. Existence of both the cis and trans form of the BQ molecule in solution and in the bulk are inferred from the normal Raman and FTIR spectra, whereas SERS study reveal that in the surface adsorbed state the molecule exists in the cis form. Definite evidence of the charge transfer interaction to the overall contribution in the SER enhancement have been reported. The excitation profile also supports the CT interaction. Estimated enhancement factor of the principal SERS bands indicate that the molecule is adsorbed on the silver surface through both the nitrogen atoms with the molecular plane almost perpendicular to the surface. This preferred orientation of the molecule is in conformity with its existence in the cis form in the surface adsorbed state.