title: Chloride selective calix[4]arene optical sensor combining urea functionality with pyrene excimer transduction.
abstract: A neutral 2-site chloride selective compound has been developed (3), based on a 1,3-alternate tetrasubstituted calix[4]arene providing a preorganized supramolecular scaffold. The resultant supramolecular cavity is among the first to combine urea functional groups bridged with single methylene spacers to pyrene moieties. It combines a naturally and synthetically proven H-bonding system with the elegant ratiometric fluorescent signaling properties of an intramolecular pyrene excimer system, triggered by conformational changes upon anion coordination. The excimer emission of 3 is quenched, with a simultaneous rise in the monomer emission solely by the chloride anion among a wide variety of anions tested. 3 has an association constant of 2.4 x 10(4) M(-1) with chloride. The suitability and advantages of ratiometric optical sensor compounds like 3 for use in practical sensor devices is discussed. 3 has an LOD of 8 x 10(-6) M with chloride in acetonitrile-chloroform (95:5 v/v). A dynamic fluorescence study revealed a response time of < 3 s. A recently developed and simple HPLC-based purification method complimented conventional organic work up methods to yield pure product.
authors.affiliation: Adaptive Sensors Group, National Centre for Sensor Research, School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland.
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schazmann
authors.forename: Nameer
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alhashimy
authors.forename: Dermot
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diamond