Benzo-Crown-Ether functionalized O-BODIPY Probes for Cations - A Selective Fluorescent Probe for Ba2.

Herein, we report the synthesis and sensing characteristics of 4,4'-methoxy-substituted BODIPY fluorescent probes (OBODIPYs) 3, 4 and 5 equipped with differently sized benzo-crown ethers (cf. Scheme 1, 3 (benzo-15-crown-5), 4 (benzo-18-crown-6) and 5 (benzo-21-crown7)). O-BODIPYs 3, 4 and 5 exhibited in comparison to their known F-BODIPY analogues 3a, 4a and 5a (cf. Scheme 1) an improved solubility in aqueous medium and higher fluorescence quantum yields. Fluorometric study in aqueous solutions of 3, 4 and 5 in the presence of different cations show cation induced fluorescence enhancements (FE). Compared to the benzo-crown ether substituted F-BODIPY analogues 3a, 4a and 5a, we found for the free O-BODIPYs 3, 4 and 5 higher fluorescence quantum yields (ϕf ) but lower cation induced FEs. We show that in aqueous medium the fluorescence quenching process (OFF switching), a photoinduced electron transfer, in O-BODIPYs 3, 4 and 5 is less effective and consequently sensitive and selective ON switching of the fluorescence by cations, too. Albeit these observations the novel benzo-21-crown-7 equipped fluorescent probe 5 exhibits a good fluorometric Ba2+ selectivity and Ba2+ sensitivity in conjunction to their superior aqueous solubility.

A Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for K+ in Water Based on a Phenylaza-18-Crown-6 Lariat Ether.

This work presents two molecular fluorescent probes 1 and 2 for the selective determination of physiologically relevant K+ levels in water based on a highly K+ /Na+ selective building block, the o-(2-methoxyethoxy)phenylaza-18-crown-6 lariat ether unit. Fluorescent probe 1 showed a high K+ -induced fluorescence enhancement (FE) by a factor of 7.7 of the anthracenic emission and a dissociation constant (Kd ) value of 38 mm in water. Further, for 2+K+ , we observed a dual emission behavior at 405 and 505 nm. K+ increases the fluorescence intensity of 2 at 405 nm by a factor of approximately 4.6 and K+ decreases the fluorescence intensity at 505 nm by a factor of about 4.8. Fluorescent probe 2+K+ exhibited a Kd value of approximately 8 mm in Na+ -free solutions and in combined K+ /Na+ solution a similar Kd value of about 9 mm was found, reflecting the high K+ /Na+ selectivity of 2 in water. Therefore, 2 is a promising fluorescent tool to measure ratiometrically and selectively physiologically relevant K+ levels.

Insights into the pores of microwave-assisted metal-imidazolate frameworks showing enhanced gas sorption.

Microwave heating (MW)-assisted synthesis has been widely applied as an alternative method for the chemical synthesis of organic and inorganic materials. In this work, we report MW-assisted synthesis of three isostructural 3D frameworks with a flexible linker arm of the chelating linker 2-substituted imidazolate-4-amide-5-imidate, named IFP-7-MW (M = Zn, R = OMe), IFP-8-MW (M = Co; R = OMe) and IFP-10-MW (M = Co; R = OEt) (IFP = Imidazolate Framework Potsdam). These chelating ligands were generated in situ by partial hydrolysis of 2-substituted 4,5-dicyanoimidazoles under MW- and also conventional electrical heating (CE)-assisted conditions in DMF. The structure of these materials was determined by IR spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and the identity of the materials synthesized under CE-conditions was established. Materials obtained from MW-heating show many fold enhancement of CO2 and H2 uptake capacities, compared to the analogous CE-heating method based materials. To understand the inner pore-sizes of IFP structures and variations of gas sorptions, we performed positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS), which shows that MW-assisted materials have smaller pore sizes than materials synthesized under CE-conditions. The "kinetically controlled" MW-synthesized material has an inherent ability to trap extra linkers, thereby reducing the pore sizes of CE-materials to ultra/micropores. These ultramicropores are responsible for high gas sorption.

Study of the Discrepancies between Crystallographic Porosity and Guest Access into Cadmium-Imidazolate Frameworks and Tunable Luminescence Properties by Incorporation of Lanthanides.

An extended member of the isoreticular family of metal-imidazolate framework structures, IFP-6 (IFP=imidazolate framework Potsdam), based on cadmium metal and an in situ functionalized 2-methylimidazolate-4-amide-5-imidate linker is reported. A porous 3D framework with 1D hexagonal channels with accessible pore windows of 0.52 nm has been synthesized by using an ionic liquid (IL) linker precursor. IFP-6 shows significant gas uptake capacity only for CO2 and CH4 at elevated pressure, whereas it does not adsorb N2 , H2 , and CH4 under atmospheric conditions. IFP-6 is assumed to deteriorate at the outside of the material during the activation process. This closing of the metal-organic framework (MOF) pores is proven by positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS), which revealed inherent crystal defects. PALS results support the conservation of the inner pores of IFP-6. IFP-6 has also been successfully loaded with luminescent trivalent lanthanide ions (Ln(III) =Tb, Eu, and Sm) in a bottom-up one-pot reaction through the in situ generation of the linker ligand and in situ incorporation of photoluminescent Ln ions into the constituting network. The results of photoluminescence investigations and powder XRD provide evidence that the Ln ions are not doped as connectivity centers into the frameworks, but are instead located within the pores of the MOFs. Under UV light irradiation, Tb@IFP-6 and Eu@IFP-6 (λexc =365 nm) exhibit observable emission changes to a greenish and reddish color, respectively, as a result of strong Ln 4 f emissions.

Use of a 4,5-dicyanoimidazolate anion based ionic liquid for the synthesis of iron and silver nanoparticles.

Sixteen new ionic liquids (ILs) with tetraethylammonium, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium, 3-methyl-1-octylimidazolium and tetrabutylphosphonium cations paired with 2-substituted 4,5-dicyanoimidazolate anions (substituent at C2 = methyl, trifluoromethyl, pentafluoroethyl, N,N'-dimethyl amino and nitro) have been synthesized and characterized by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effects of cation and anion type and structure of the resulting ILs, including several room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs), are reflected in the crystallization, melting points and thermal decomposition of the ILs. ILs exhibited large liquid and crystallization ranges and formed glasses on cooling with glass transition temperatures in the range of -22 to -71 °C. We selected one of the newly designed ILs due to its bigger size, compared to the common conventional IL anion and high electron-withdrawing nitrile group leads to an overall stabilization anion that may stabilize the metal nanoparticles. Stable and better separated iron and silver nanoparticles are obtained by the decomposition of corresponding Fe2(CO)9 and AgPF6, respectively, under N2-atmosphere in newly designed nitrile functionalized 4,5-dicyanoimidazolate anion based IL. Very small and uniform size for Fe-nanoparticles of about 1.8 ± 0.6 nm were achieved without any additional stabilizers or capping molecules. Comparatively bigger size of Ag-nanoparticles was obtained through the reduction of AgPF6 by hydrogen gas. Additionally, the AgPF6 precursor was decomposed under microwave irradiation (MWI), fabricating nut-in-shell-like, that is, core-separated-from-shell Ag-nano-structures.

Giant Zn14 molecular building block in hydrogen-bonded network with permanent porosity for gas uptake.

In situ imidazolate-4,5-diamide-2-olate linker generation leads to the formation of a [Zn14(L2)12(O)(OH)2(H2O)4] molecular building block (MBB) with a Zn6 octahedron inscribed in a Zn8 cube. The MBBs connect by amide-amide hydrogen bonds to a 3D robust supramolecular network which can be activated for N2, CO2, CH4, and H2 gas sorption.

A highly K(+)-selective phenylaza-[18]crown-6-lariat-ether-based fluoroionophore and its application in the sensing of K+ ions with an optical sensor film and in cells.

Herein, we report the synthesis of two phenylaza-[18]crown-6 lariat ethers with a coumarin fluorophore (1 and 2) and we reveal that compound 1 is an excellent probe for K(+) ions under simulated physiological conditions. The presence of a 2-methoxyethoxy lariat group at the ortho position of the anilino moiety is crucial to the substantially increased stability of compounds 1 and 2 over their lariat-free phenylaza-[18]crown-6 ether analogues. Probe 1 shows a high K(+)/Na(+) selectivity and a 2.5-fold fluorescence enhancement was observed in the presence of 100 mM K(+) ions. A fluorescent membrane sensor, which was prepared by incorporating probe 1 into a hydrogel, showed a fully reversible response, a response time of 150 s, and a signal change of 7.8% per 1 mM K(+) within the range 1-10 mM K(+). The membrane was easily fabricated (only a single sensing layer on a solid polyester support), yet no leaching was observed. Moreover, compound 1 rapidly permeated into cells, was cytocompatible, and was suitable for the fluorescent imaging of K(+) ions on both the extracellular and intracellular levels.

Stability of disubstituted copper complexes in the gas phase analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

A series of nitrogen ligand (L)/copper complexes of the type [Cu(I)L](+), [Cu(II)L(X)](+) and [Cu(I)L(2)](+) (X = Cl(-), BF(4) (-), acac(-), CH(3)COO(-) and SO(3)CF(3) (-)) was studied in the gas phase by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The following ligands (L) were employed: 1,12-diazaperylene (dap), 1,1'-bisisoquinoline (bis), 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,11-disubstituted 1,12-diazaperylenes (dap), 3,3'-disubstituted 1,1'- bisisoquinoline (bis), 5,8-dimethoxy-substituted diazaperylene (meodap), 6,6'- dimethoxy-substituted bisisoquinoline (meobis) and 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dmphen). Collision-induced decomposition measurements were applied to evaluate the relative stabilities of the different copper complexes. The influence of the spatial arrangement of the ligands, of the type of substituents and of the counter ion of the copper salts employed for the complexation was examined. Correlations were found between the binding constants of the [ML(2)](+) complexes in solution and the relative stabilities of the analogous complexes in the gas phase. Furthermore, complexation with the ligands 2,11-dialkylated 1,12-diazaperylenes [alkyl = ethyl (dedap) and isopropyl (dipdap)] was studied in the solvents CH(3)OH and CH(3)CN.

Complexation of diazaperylene and bisisoquinoline with transition metal ions in the gas phase studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

The complex formation of the ligands 1,12-diazaperylene (dap), 1,1'-bisisoquinoline (bis), 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) with transition metal ions (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ru, Os, Re, Pd, Pt, Ag and Cd) in the gas phase has been studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. With the exception of Ru, Os, Fe, Ni and Cu, singly charged complexes [MLn](+) (n = 1,2) were observed. The complexes of dap and bis with Ru, Os, Fe and Ni ions, and the mixed ligand complexes with bpy and phen, are preferably of the doubly charged type [ML3]2+. In addition, collision-induced dissociation (CID) measurements were employed to evaluate the relative stabilities of these complexes. The CID experiments of mixed-ligand complexes which contain both dap and phen or dap and bpy exhibit preferential elimination of bpy, indicating that bpy is a weaker ligand than phen and dap.