Solvatochromic fluorescence properties of pyrazine-boron complex bearing a β-iminoenolate ligand

Pyrazine-based monoboron complexes bearing two fluorine atoms (BF2 complex) or two phenyl groups (BPh2 complex) on the boron atom were synthesized, and the fluorescence properties were investigated. The BPh2 complexes exhibited red-shifted maximum absorption and maximum fluorescence wavelengths and lower molar absorption coefficients than the corresponding BF2 complexes in n-hexane. The fluorescence quantum yields of the BPh2 complexes were higher than or comparable to the corresponding BF2 complexes owing to the relatively low nonradiative rate constants. Although the nonsubstituted and trifluoromethyl-substituted derivatives did not show solvatochromism, the dimethylamino-substituted BF2 and BPh2 complexes exhibited pronounced solvatochromism in the fluorescence spectra. Dual fluorescence was observed for the dimethylamino-substituted BF2 complex in toluene, 1,4-dioxane, and chloroform, corresponding to locally excited (LE) and twisted intramolecular charge-transfer (TICT) states.