Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Chemistry Theses Department of Chemistry Fall 11-29-2011 Spectroscopic Studies of Carbocyanine and 2,4,6- Trisubstituted Pyridine Dyes for Bioanalytical and pH Indicating Applications Gala M. Chapman Georgia State University,
[email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/chemistry_theses Recommended Citation Chapman, Gala M., "Spectroscopic Studies of Carbocyanine and 2,4,6- Trisubstituted Pyridine Dyes for Bioanalytical and pH Indicating Applications." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2011. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/chemistry_theses/47 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Chemistry at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Chemistry Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES OF CARBOCYANINE AND 2,4,6-TRISUBSTITUTED PYRIDINE DYES FOR BIOANALYTICAL AND pH INDICATING APPLICATIONS by GALA CHAPMAN Under the Direction of Dr. Gabor Patonay ABSTRACT In part A, the effect of varying short-chain alkyl substitution on the spectroscopic properties of cyanine dyes was examined. Molar absorptivities and quantum yields were determined for groups of pentamethine and heptamethine dyes for which the substitution of the indole nitrogen was varied. For both sets of dyes, increasing alkyl chain length did not significantly change quantum yield or molar absorptivity. These results may be useful in designing new cyanine dyes. In part B, the effect of structure on the suitability of 2,4,6-trisubstituted pyridines as color pH indicators was studied by determining spectral effects of protonation, molar absorptivities, pKa values, and the structural origin of the spectral behavior.