Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of 8-hydroxyquinoline derivatives and their metalion complexes

Three new 8-hydroxyquinoline derivatives, 5-[(4-styryl-benzylidene)-amino]-quinolin-8-ol (1), 5-[(4-bromo-2-fluoro-benzylidene)-amino]-quinoline-8-ol (2) and N-ethyl-3-[2-(8-hydroxyquinolin-2-yl)vinyl]carbazole (3), and their metalion complexes have been designed, synthesized and identified by UV-vis, H-1 NMR, FTIR, MS spectra and elemental analyses. Their fluorescence properties have been studied by photoluminescence and the result showed that luminescence wavelengths of 5-substitued-8-hydroxyquinoline derivatives and 2-substitued-8-hydroxyquinoline derivatives shift to red comparing with 8-hydroxyquinoline. Meanwhile, the fluorescence lifetime of N-ethyl-3-[2-(8-hydroxyquinolin-2-yl)vinyl]carbazole and zinc complex showed long lifetime.