The present work reports theoretical and experimental studies on the photophysical properties of two tautomeric forms of 2-carbamido-1,3-indandione (CAID). By means of UV-vis, steady-state and time-dependent fluorescence spectroscopy it is shown that both enol forms, 2-(hydroxylaminomethylidene)-indan-1,3-dione and 2-carboamide-1-hydroxy-3-oxo-indan, coexist in solution. On the base of spectroscopic studies of CAID interaction with human serum albumin and DNA sequences, it was shown that the compound has potential and it is suitable for use as fluorescent molecular probe for investigation of different biomolecules. CAID shows relatively high photostability within 3 h irradiation period. Such behavior of the investigated compound supposes possibilities for using of the CAID molecule as sunscreen because of strong absorption in UVA, UVB and UVC light spectra.
Keywords: 2-carbamido-1,3-indandion; Fluorescence; Sunscreen; Tautomerism.