PROTON-TRANSFER REACTIONS IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTION OF 2-VINYLQUINOLINE COPOLYMERS

Fluorescence spectra of atactic and isolactic poly-2-vinylquinoline an d copolymers of 2-vinylquinoline and four non fluorescent comonomers h ave been measured as a function of pH. The homopolymers and the copoly mers with pyrrolidone show two band fluorescence spectra; their intens ity ratio changes with pH, polymer concentration and excitation wavele ngth. For the other copolymers the emission of the protonated heterocy cle is only a shoulder of the emission of the neutral form. A kinetic scheme has been proposed to explain these results.