Selective chemosensing of Hg2+ ions by diazatetrathia-crown ether having nitrobenzoxadiazolyl subunits

Abstract

A diazatetrathia crown ether derivative that has two appended nitrobenzoxadiazolyl moieties showed selective OFF-ON type fluoroionophoric signaling properties toward Hg2+, ions over other transition metal ions. The 14 compound also exhibited a pronounced chromogenic behavior toward Hg2+, ions by changing the solution color from light orange to yellow, which can easily be detected with naked-eye. The detection limit for the analysis of Hg2+, ions in 90% aqueous acetonitrile was found to be 4.8 x 10(-6) M, which suggests that the compound may be used as a chemosensor for analyzing sub-millimolar Hg2+, ions in aqueous environments.