N-Carbazolylmethylphosphonic acid—synthesis, metal coordination, emissive aggregate formation and spectroscopic features

Abstract

The synthesis and characterisation of N-carbazolylmethylphosphonic acid 1, the spectrophotometric absorption and emission features of aqueous 1 and its di-sodium phosphonate derivative 2 and the absorption and fluorescence response of micromolar 2 to divalent metals zinc, copper, calcium and manganese are described. A manganese derivative 3 was formed in the reaction between 1 and manganese carbonate and the structure of 3 elucidated by single crystal X-ray diffraction and displaying stacked carbazole units is presented. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and fluorescence microscopy images show that spin coating may be used to deposit blue emitting micron sized assemblies of 1 on glass substrates from micromolar chloroform solutions of 1.