Ion-responsive fluorescent compounds: VI. Coumarin 153 linked to rigid crowns for improvement of selectivity

The photophysical and complexing properties of fluoroionophores consisting of the coumarin C153 linked to dibenzo-16-crown-5 (C153-DBC) and tribenzo-19-crown-6 (C153-TBC) are described in acetonitrile and ethanol. The carbonyl group of the coumarin moiety is in direct interaction with a bound cation. The selectivity of these compounds for a given alkali or alkaline earth metal ion was found to be better than that of previously reported crowned coumarins owing to the rigidity of dibenzo- and tribenzocrowns. In acetonitrile, a very high selectivity for Ca 2+ versus Mg 2+ has been found. In ethanol, C153-DBC is selective for Na + and C153-TBC is selective for K +, as expected from the relative size of the crown cavity.