Excited-state-proton-transfer-triggered fluorescence resonance energy transfer: from 2-naphthylamine to phenosafranin

Excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) have been linearly coupled leading to an efficient pH-sensitive energy transfer from 2-naphthylamine (2NA) to a potentially bioactive cationic phenazinium dye, phenosafranin (PSF). The prototropic product produced exclusively from the photoexcited 2NA in the presence of added alkali serves as the donor for the energy transfer process. The energy transfer process is turned on at pH > or = 12, whereas the process is turned off at a pH lower than that. Within the range of pH 12 to 13, the energy transfer efficiency (E) has been shown to follow a linear relation with the solution pH establishing the governing role of pH of the solution on the energy transfer process. The energy transfer follows a long-range dipole-dipole interaction mechanism. The critical energy transfer distance (R0) and the distance between the acceptor and the donor (r) have been determined for the ESPT-promoted FRET process at an optimum pH of 13. The present study involving the coupled processes is simple but has its implication due to its potential to be exploited for designing a pH-sensitive molecular switch.