Correlation between excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer and singlet-oxygen quenching activities in 1-(acylamino)anthraquinones.

Excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) and singlet-oxygen ((1)O2) quenching activities of intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded 1-(acylamino)anthraquinones have been studied by means of static and laser spectroscopies. The ESIPT shows a substituent effect, which can be explained in terms of the nodal-plane model. The ESIPT activity positively and linearly correlates with their (1)O2 quenching activity. The reason for this correlation can be understood by considering ESIPT-induced distortion of their ground-state potential surface and their encounter complex formation with (1)O2. Intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded hydroxyanthraquinones found in aloe also show a similar positive and linear correlation, which can be understood in the same way.