Spiroindenoquinoxaline
pyrrolizidines (SIQPs)—7-nitro-2′-phenyl-5′,6′,7′,7a′-tetrahydrospiro[indeno[1,2-
b
]quinoxaline-11,3′-pyrrolizine]-1′,1′(2′
H
)-dicarbonitrile (SIQP I), 2′-(4-cyanophenyl)-7-nitro-5′,6′,7′,7a′-tetrahydrospiro[indeno[1,2-
b
]quinoxaline-11,3′-pyrrolizine]-1′,1′(2′
H
)-dicarbonitrile (SIQP II), and 2′-(4-methoxyphenyl)-7-nitro-5′,6′,7′,7a′-tetrahydrospiro[indeno[1,2-
b
]quinoxaline-11,3′-pyrrolizine]-1′,1′(2′
H
)-dicarbonitrile (SIQP III)—have been synthesized
through a one-pot cascade Knoevenagel condensation reaction in acetonitrile
(ACN) with 91, 98, and 87% yields, respectively. Structures are characterized
by
1
H NMR and
13
C NMR spectroscopy, nuclear
Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (NOESY), Fourier transform infrared
(FT-IR) and UV–vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis
(TGA), high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HRTEM), fluorescence and
Raman spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive analysis by X-ray (EDX)
spectroscopy. SIQPs in ACN photocatalyzed methylene blue (MB) but
not phenolphthalein (HIn). SIQPs distinguished the quaternary atoms
and dipoles of the fluorescent dye (MB) contrary to the quinonoid
HIn structure. In sunlight, SIQPs without electricity input acted
as a photonic sensor to detect fluorescent dyes in waste effluents
of textile, paper, dyes, and other industries. Activation energy (
E
a
), enthalpy (Δ
H
), entropy
(Δ
S
), and Gibbs free energy (Δ
G
) calculated from UV–vis absorption spectra show
photocatalytic reduction (PCR) activities in the order SIQP II >
III
> I. The N-atom of pyrrolizidine and −NO
2
of
nitro-indenoquinoxaline
(NIQ) induced the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) to the
lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) electrodynamics to enable
the SIQPs to catalyze biochemical activities.