Synthesis, photochemical stability and photo-stabilizing efficiency of probes based on benzothioxanthene chromophore and Hindered Amine Stabilizer

New types of combined chromophore-HAS (Hindered Amine Stabilizer) fluorescence probes were prepared and their photostability as well as their photo-stabilizing efficiency was tested in polypropylene film. The chromophore was benzothioxanthene and HAS was 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine. They were prepared by a one-step synthesis from benzothioxanthene-3,4-dicarboxylic anhydride (BTXA) by condensation with 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine to obtain the probe in the form of parent amine (BTXI-NH) and 4-amino-1-oxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine in the case of stable nitroxyl radical form (BTXI-NO). Kinetics of BTXA photo-decomposition followed by UV spectroscopy were similar to kinetics of photo-decomposition for derivatives with covalently linked HAS i.e. BTXI-NH and BTXI-NO. It consists of two parts, slower in the beginning and very fast at the end of the process. Better stability of BTXI-NO in comparison with BTXI-NH can be explained by the presence of stable nitroxyl radical in its structure. The rate of decomposition of the fast part is similar for both additives. As soon as the decomposition starts there is no influence of NO or NH on this process. Times represented the start of the fast decomposition of probes correspond to the induction period of photo-oxidation of PP films. Possible effect of mutual interaction of chromophore and HAS coupled in one molecule (BTXI-NH or BTXI-NO) during photo-oxidation was followed by comparison with the course of photo-oxidation of PP film containing physical mixture of chromophore in the form of BTXA and HAS in the form of parent amine (4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine) and stable nitroxyl radical (4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-N-oxyl). (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.