Solvation effect on photophysical and photochemical properties of mono-biotinylated curcumin

Solvent effects on photophysical and photochemical properties of mono-biotinylated curcumin ( mbt -Cur) in comparison with curcumin (Cur) were studied. Same with Cur, mbt -Cur dominantly adopts ‘enol-keto’ configuration in all solvents stabilized by intramolecular H-bond. In non-protic solvents, the photophysical properties of mbt -Cur depend on the solvent polarity parameter Δ f . In H-bond solvent methanol, dramatic deviation of all photophysical properties from the correlation established in non-H-bond solvent occurred. H-bond capability of solvent was found to determine the excitation dynamic mechanism of mbt -Cur at a microsecond timescale. This research laid the foundation for further application of mbt -Cur in biological systems.