The synthesis of a new RuII complex, in which the metal is coordinated by two 1,10-phenanthroline ligands and a 2,2′-bipyridyl unit linked, via methylene bridges in its 4 and 4′ positions, to two 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane (cyclen) macrocycles ([Ru(phen)2L]2+) is reported. Protonation and ZnII binding by [Ru(phen)2L]2+ have been analyzed by potentiometric titration, evidencing the formation of mixed hetero-binuclear and hetero-trinuclear ZnII/RuII complexes. These complexes were tested as bis-phenol A (BPA) binders. Only the dizinc complex with [Ru(phen)2L]2+ is able to bind BPA in aqueous solution, affording a remarkably stable {Zn2[Ru(phen)2L]BPA(H−2)}4+ adduct at neutral pH, in which BPA is bound in its doubly deprotonated form to the two ZnII ions. BPA binding was found to quench the luminescence emission of the RuII(phen)2bipy core. Although the quenching effect is modest, this study demonstrates that appropriately designed dizinc complexes can be used for binding and optical sensing of BPA in water.

Herein we describe the binding abilities of Zn(II) complexes of [12]aneN4- (L1) and [9]aneN3-based receptors (L2, L3) towards the herbicides N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (glyphosate, H3PMG) and 2-amino-4-[hydroxy(methyl)phosphoryl]butanoic acid (glufosinate, H2GLU), and also...

Triamine receptors containing anthracene units are able to bind and sense ketoprofen via fluorescence enhancement in H2O/EtOH 50:50 (Vol:Vol) mixture exploiting their protonation features, which result to be tuned by...

The synthesis of three new polyamine receptors based on a common 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclododecane (cyclen) platform with appended, via a methylene linker, a single quinoline (Q) or 8-hydroxy-quinoline (8-OH-Q) moiety (L1 and...

Receptor L, composed by a tripropylen-tetraamine chain linking the 2 and 7 positions of an acridine unit via methylene bridges behaves as pentaprotic base in aqueous solution. The first four...