Nature of linear spectral properties and fast electronic relaxations in green fluorescent pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyridine derivative

Abstract

The electronic nature of 4-hydroxy-1H-pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyridine-1,3,6(2H,5H)-trione (HPPT) was comprehensively investigated in liquid media at room temperature using steady-state and time-resolved femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopic techniques. The analysis of the linear photophysical and photochemical parameters of HPPT, including steady-state absorption, fluorescence and excitation anisotropy spectra, along with the lifetimes of fluorescence emission and photodecomposition quantum yields, revealed the nature of its large Stokes shift, specific changes in the permanent dipole moments under electronic excitation, weak dipole transitions with partially anisotropic character, and high photostability. Transient absorption spectra of HPPT were obtained with femtosecond resolution and no characteristic solvate relaxation processes in protic (methanol) solvent were revealed. Efficient light amplification (gain) was observed in the fluorescence spectral range of HPPT, but no super-luminescence and lasing phenomena were detected. The electronic structure of HPPT was also analyzed with quantum-chemical calculations using a DFT/B3LYP method and good agreement with experimental data was shown. The development and investigation of new pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyridine derivatives are important due to their promising fluorescent properties and potential for use in physiological applications.