Pyridyl-BODIPY dyes: synthesis, optical properties and adsorption on CdSe quantum dots

Abstract

New asymmetrical pyridyl-BODIPY dyes with a meso-CF₃-group were synthesized by condensation of trifluoro-1-(5-phenylpyrrol-2-yl)ethanol with 2-(2-, 3- or 4-pyridyl)pyrroles, followed by the oxidation and formation of a complex with BF₃ etherate. The molecular and crystal structures of these compounds were studied by DFT calculations and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The absorption and fluorescence properties of the synthesized dyes in polar and nonpolar media were quantitatively characterized. In this work, the efficiency of dye adsorption on CdSe colloidal quantum dots was studied, and the influence of the nitrogen atom position in the pyridyl group on the stability of the resulting associates was shown.