Experimental and theoretical spectroscopic studies of dye modification in synthetic Maya Blue pigment

Maya pigments are hybrid organic/inorganic materials with multiple technology applications that possess unprecedented stability with respect to harsh environment conditions. In this investigation, we address the question of how the organic indigo dye modifies as it binds to the inorganic palygorskite clay to form a pigment similar to \textit{Maya Blue }after a heating treatment is applied. Both infrared and Raman spectroscopic data demonstrate the disappearance of nitrogen-hydrogen (N-H) bonding, as the indigo molecule incorporates into the inorganic palygorskite material. This effect suggests a transformation of the dye from indigo to dehydroindigo. Furthermore, the Raman and infrared absorption results demonstrate partial elimination of the selection rules for the centrosymmetric indigo, which provides further evidence for this conversion. Theoretical spectroscopic studies are also addressed in this investigation to confirm the transformation of the dye into dehydroindigo.