Can mechanochemical synthesis be utilized in the progress of chemosensing technology? A case study with a series of Cu2+ selective receptors

5 years ago

Can mechanochemical synthesis be utilized in the progress of chemosensing technology? A case study with a series of Cu2+ selective receptors

Mechanochemistry provides a fast, convenient, clean, and atomefficient route to one-pot two-step synthesis of a series of copper-specific turn-on chemosensors (L1–L5), directly from solid reactants and without bulk solvents. Comparison of powder XRD, FTIR-ATR, and SEM data with the solution-route prepared compounds indicated mechanosynthesis of pure receptors and the results are reproducible. Single crystal X-ray structure determination confirmed the identities of the mechanosynthesized ionophores (L1–L5). The probes with limit of detection in the range 8–0.1μM behave reversibly and bind one equivalent of Cu²⁺ with association constants ranging 1×10⁴–1.5×10⁴ M⁻¹. Excepting L5, the selective responses of other ionophores (L1–L4) toward Cu²⁺ altered considerably in presence of other ions. Superior sensory properties of L5 have also been utilized for selective “dip-in” recognition of Cu²⁺ in pure aqueous solution upon fabricating cellulose acetate bio-polymer with L5 yielding an optode (optical membrane). The L5-optode showed a naked eye observable colour change from faint peach to rosy pink (in visible light) and blue-pink to green (under UV lamp) on addition of 10μM and 1μM aqueous solutions of Cu²⁺, respectively.

Publisher URL: www.sciencedirect.com/science

DOI: S0925400517311176