Quinolines by Three-Component Reaction: Synthesis and Photophysical Studies

The synthesis of five quinolines 8-octyloxy-4-[4-(octyloxy)phenyl]quinoline and 6-alkoxy- 2-(4-alkoxyphenyl)-4-[(4-octyloxy)aryl]quinolines are described by three-component coupling reaction mediated by Lewis acid FeCl3 and Yb(OTf)3. 4-n-octyloxybenzaldehyde, anisaldehyde, 4-n-octyloxyaniline p-anisidine, and 1-ethynyl-4-heptyloxybenzene, 1-ethynyl-4-octyloxybenzene and 2-ethynyl-6-heptyloxynaphthalene are the reagents in this protocol. A Yb3+ catalyst resulted in higher yields of quinolines than Fe3+. Polarizing optical microscopy (POM) revealed that none of the quinolines were liquid crystals, even the more anisotropic. UV-Vis measurements of one of the quinolines in polar solvent show two absorption bands at 280 and 350 nm related to π,π* and n,π* transitions. No changes were observed to lower-energy absorption band (ε