Synthesis, Structure, and Characterization of Chromo(fluoro)ionophores with Cation-Triggered Emission Based on N-Methylaza-Crown-Ether Styryl Dyes

Novel 2-benzothiazole-, 4-pyridine-, and 2- and 4-quinoline-based styryl dyes containing an N-methylbenzoaza-15(18)-crown-5(6)-ether moiety were synthesized. A detailed electronic spectroscopy study revealed high performance of these compounds as optical molecular sensors for alkali and alkaline-earth metal cations. They were shown to considerably surpass analogous chromoionophores based on N-phenylaza-crown ethers regarding both the ionochromism and the cation-binding ability. In addition, they act as fluorescent sensors for the metal cations by demonstrating cation-triggered emission. Upon complexation with Ba2+, the fluorescence enhancement factor reaches 61. The structural features of dyes and their metal complexes were studied by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The high degree of macrocycle preorganization was found to be one of the factors determining the high cation-binding ability of the sensor molecules based on N-methylbenzoaza-crown ethers.