Methylviologen (MV 2+ ) incorporated within medium-and large-pore zeolites (NaZSM-5, Namordenite, NaY, and CsY) emits fluorescence at 330 and 420 nm; the latter is most prominent in zeolite NaY. The intensity ratio between these two bands depends on the structure of the zeolite. On the basis of molecular modeling and 13 C CP/MAS NMR using the dipolar dephasing technique, the first band has been ascribed to the emission of MV 2+ in a planar conformation. The unprecedented 420 nm band has been attributed to a twisted conformer probably interacting with the basic oxygen sites of the framework.There is considerable interest in the use of zeolites to control the outcome of organic reactions and as tools to examine specific spectroscopic properties. [1][2][3][4][5] In the context of the photochemical reduction of water and the production of hydrogen using visible light, a large variety of heterogeneous systems have been devised many of them having in common the presence of methylviologen (MV 2+ ) adsorbed on an inorganic support. 6-8 Zeolites 9-11 have been often the hosts of choice because their strictly regular microporous framework provides the opportunity to compartmentalize and organize a supramolecular assembly where the different stages of the overall process (light absorption, energy transfer, and water reduction) can take place in a well-defined spatial arrangement. However, the majority of these studies have not paid close attention to the possible influence that the rigid, restricted environment may play in modifying the molecular properties of MV 2+ . In the present work we have performed a study of the fluorescence of MV 2+ incorporated within different zeolites encompassing different topologies. On the basis of solid-state 13 C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling, we have found that our results can be rationalized in terms of a different degree of pyridinium ring mobility around the single C-C bond when MV 2+ is incorporated zeolites, as well as the formation of a charge-transfer-like complex between MV 2+ and the negative oxygens of the framework.
Experimental SectionSamples of zeolites NaZSM-5 (Si/Al 17.5), NaMor (mordenite; Si/Al 10), NaY (Si/Al 2.6) and CsY (Si/Al 2.6, 70% ion exchange) doped with MV 2+ were obtained by room-temperature ion exchange using aqueous solution of MV 2+ hydrochloride (Aldrich, 98%). The actual loading level was determined by combustion chemical analysis (C and N) of the samples as well as by quantitative atomic absorption spectroscopy of the remaining Na + left in the zeolite after the partial exchange. Powder X-ray diffraction of the samples showed that the crystalline structure of the MV 2+ -doped zeolites was preserved during the preparation procedure.Steady-state fluorescence measurements were performed with a Perkin-Elmer LS-50 spectrofluorimeter equipped with a frontface attachment for solid samples.Semiempirical calculations were carried out using the AM1 SCF-MO method as implemented in the version 3.0 of the Figure 2. (A) Aromatic region of the 13 C CP/MA...