Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol.115, No.10, 4732-4741, 2001
Rotational dynamics of coumarins in nonassociative solvents: Point dipole versus extended charge distribution models of dielectric friction
Rotational diffusion of three structurally similar coumarins; coumarin 6, coumarin 7, and coumarin 30 has been studied in two nonassociative solvents; dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and octanenitrile using steady-state fluorescence depolarization technique. The experimentally measured reorientation times of these coumarins are almost identical in a given solvent at a particular temperature. However, these coumarins are found to rotate slower in octanenitrile compared to DMSO especially at higher values of viscosity over temperature. The mechanical friction experienced by the coumarins has been modeled using the Stokes-Einstein-Debye hydrodynamic theory with slip boundary condition and the dielectric friction using the point dipole as well as the extended charge distribution models. Point dipole models of Nee-Zwanzig and van der Zwan-Hynes fail to explain the experimentally observed trend even in a qualitative way, whereas the extended charge distribution model of Alavi-Waldeck is successful in predicting the observed behavior at least qualitatively in these nonassociative solvents.