Compounds
possessing two fluorophoric moieties may exhibit dual
fluorescence, one characterizing the monomeric fluorophore unit and
the other characterizing the intramolecular aggregate. Fluorescence quenching of two
dipyrenylalkanes, 1,3-bis(1-pyrenyl)propane [1Py(3)1Py] and 1,10-bis(1-pyrenyl)decane
[1Py(10)1Py] having different alkyl chains separating the two termini
pyrenyl groups that are capable of forming an intramolecular excimer,
by an electron/charge-accepting quencher, nitromethane, is investigated
in four different solventsnonpolar (cyclohexane (CH)), polar-aprotic
(acetonitrile (ACN)), polar-protic (ethanol (EtOH)), and chlorinated
(dichloromethane (DCM))under ambient conditions. For a given
probe in a solvent, fluorescence from the monomer and the intramolecular
excimer are quenched with similar efficiencies; the efficiency of
quenching is higher for the probe with the longer alkyl chain separating
the two fluorophores. Quenching efficiency is significantly higher
in chlorinated solvent DCM. The bimolecular quenching rate constants
for intramolecular excimer, however, are either comparable or lower
for the longer alkyl chain compound. It is suggested that, while the
donor electronic excited-state energetics is more favorable for the
long alkyl chain compound, the approach of the quencher to the intramolecular
excimer appears to be hindered by the presence of a longer alkyl chain.