Synthesis and optical properties of novel 1,2,3-triazole derivatives possessing highly substituted imidazoles

Reactions of 1,4,5-triaryl-2-(4-bromomethyl)phenyl-imidazoles with sodium azide in acetone give the corresponding azidomethyl derivatives, which on 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with various terminal alkynes in the presence of CuI afford novel 1,2,3-triazole products. On the other hand, treatment of 2,4,5-triaryl-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-imidazoles with propargyl chloride in the presence of a base gives the corresponding propargyl ether derivatives, which under CuI-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with benzyl azide produce 1,2,3-triazole derivatives. All the products are characterized from their spectroscopic data and most are evaluated for fluorescence emission. The optical parameters of the studied products are also reported.