No abstract

Two new potential heavy metal ion indicators of the phenanthroline-based family, displaying distinct fluorescence profiles, were synthesized. Their ion selectivity is discussed in terms of their ionophore/fluorophore properties and the extent of conjugation in their framework. The 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzazole containing fluorophores used in the construction of the probes, exhibit a unique fluorescence profile with a high Stokes shift that is attributed to an excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT).