Charge transfer and fluorescence behaviour of hexylamine and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane in compartmentalized (reverse micelle and microemulsion) and non-aqueous environments

The charge transfer interaction between hexylamine (HA) and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and the fluorescence behaviour of the charge transfer complex were studied in non-aqueous solvents (dichloromethane, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, heptane, iso-octane, decane and cyclohexane) and in sodium bis (2-ethyl-hexyl) sulphosuccinate (AOT)-cyclohexane reverse micellar medium and water-AOT-cyclohexane microemulsion medium. A 1:1 charge transfer complex between HA and TCNQ was formed, and its binding strength was estimated by the Benesi-Hildebrand equation. The charge transfer complex was fluorescent; this was hindered by AOT and by a higher concentration of HA. The results were analysed using the Stem-Volmer equation. At a constant [water]/[AOT] mole ratio (omega), the charge transfer and quenching processes increased and decreased respectively with increasing [AOT]. At constant [AOT], both phenomena were enhanced with increasing omega. The photophysical processes were influenced by the water-oil interface containing AOT; in contrast, the medium polarity had no influence.