Synthesis and photophysical properties of novel 1,8-naphthalimide light-harvesting antennae based on benzyl aryl ether architecture

Two novel benzyl aryl ether light-harvesting antennae accomplishing high effective energy transfer, core and peripherally decorated with fluorescent 1,8-naphthalimide units were successfully synthesized. The peripheral blue-emitting benzyl aryl ether intermediate wedge showed considerable probe potential for determination of water content in organic solvents probably as a result of a TICT process. The core of one of the two light-harvesting antennae was configured on the “fluorophore-spacer-receptor” format. Due to the simultaneous operation of FRET and PET processes that system showed excellent pH sensing characteristics and high potential as a probe for monitoring the pH variations in environmental and biological samples.