Lab 5. Procedure.

Parts of this lab are adapted from GNS1 (pp.380-385), Potts2 and analogous experiment at Dartmouth College3.
You will collect data with a lab partner (who should be noted in your write-up). However, all the data analysis and write-up should be done without collaboration.

Section A

This part of the lab is partially described in GNS (pp.380-385) You will study the visible absorbance spectra of six cyanine dyes, labeled A through F; structures for these dyes appear in the introduction section. Note that each structure shown is a positive ion; as supplied by the manufacturer these are accompanied by halide ions (Cl-, Br- or I-) as the counter ion.

Before the experiment

During the experiment

  • Prepare ~ 10 -5 M solutions of each dye in methanol (keep track of the concentration in each case). Be patient, they dissolve slow. Maximum absorbance should not exceed 1. If they do, add more methanol. Keep track of the resulting concentration, so that you can calculate the extinction coefficients for each dye. 
  • Measure the spectra of all 6 solutions in the range from 300 nm to 900 nm. Use Ocean Optics spectrophotometer in room CB109. Plastic cuvettes tend to stain by these dyes. So, either wash cuvettes thoroughly or use a new cuvette for each dye; another option - use a quartz (or glass) 1 cm cuvette. Make sure that you rinse the glass cuvette with methanol thoroughly as well. Use the same cuvette with methanol for the background. Save all 6 files on a disk.
  • Determine lmax for the given cyanine dye solutions A through F.
  • After the experiment

    Section B

    In this section you will investigate aggregation of two dyes, one of them forms J- aggregates and another - H-aggregates. The aggregation will be induced by change in concentration and ionic strength. Both dyes are positively charge at neutral pH, thus you will see the effect of NaCl on absorption, identify the type of aggregates and suggest their structures.  

    Before the experiment

    During the experiment.

  • Prepare aqueous solutions of these dyes at concentrations 3*10-6 M (2 mL) , 10-5 M (2 mL) and 3*10-5 M (1 mL) by dissolving with DI water  
  • Proceed as in section A to record the absorption spectra for each solutions (in 1cm and 3 mm plastic cuvettes, respectively) in the wavelength range from 300 nm to 900 nm. Remember to use water filled cuvette for background measurements. Save files on the disk for future analysis
  • Determine lmax of peaks for each solution and their intensities.
  • Add appropriate amount of solid NaCl to each cuvette to make 3.0 M NaCl. Repeat the same absorption measurements after salt fully dissolves. NB. Gently shake before measurements; avoid formation of bubbles. Use aqueous 1.0 M NaCl filled cuvette for background measurements. Pay attention to new bands appearing and whether they change with time. Wait till they stabilize!!
  • Determine lmax of old and peaks for each solution and their intensities. NB. If you observe no changes then you have done something wrong; one dye should form H-aggregates (a high energy shifted new band) and another - J-aggregates (a lower energy shifted new band)
  • After the experiment

    References

    1. Garland, Nibler, and Shoemaker; Experiments in Physical Chemistry, 7th edition. McGraw-Hill, 2003, pp.380-385
    2. R.A. Potts, J. Chem. Ed. 51, 539 (1974).
    3. Chem 10 Lab manual, Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College
    4. I. Struganova, I. J. Phys. Chem. A 104, 9670-9674 (2000)
    5. T.D. Slavnova, A.K. Chibisov, H. Gorner, J. Phys. Chem. A 109, 4758-4765 (2005)

    Last updated 03/14/07.