Lanthanide/ATP interaction in water mediated by luminescent hemispherical-shaped complexes

Area of Science:

• Coordination Chemistry
• Luminescent Materials
• Anion Sensing

Background:

• Bipyridylcarboxylate ligands are versatile building blocks for metal complexes.
• Lanthanide complexes offer unique luminescent properties for sensing applications.
• Developing selective anion sensors is crucial for environmental and biological monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel luminescent lanthanide complexes.
• To evaluate the potential of these complexes as selective anion sensors in aqueous media.
• To investigate the interaction mechanism between the complexes and target anions.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a novel ligand LH(2) and its complexes with Europium (Eu) and Terbium (Tb).
• Spectroscopic techniques including absorption and emission spectroscopy to study anion interactions.
• Electrospray Mass Spectrometry (ES-MS) and Phosphorus-31 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance ((31)P NMR) for structural elucidation.

Main Results:

• The synthesized complexes exhibit luminescence in water at neutral pH.
• A notable selectivity was observed for hydrogen phosphate (HPO(4)(2)(-)) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP(4)(-)) anions.
• Spectroscopic and mass spectrometry data confirmed the formation of a ternary species, [Ln.L.(ATP)](3)(-), upon interaction with ATP(4)(-).

Conclusions:

• The developed lanthanide complexes demonstrate promising selectivity for specific anions like phosphate and ATP.
• These findings highlight the potential of these luminescent complexes as effective sensors in aqueous environments.
• The study provides insights into the binding interactions, paving the way for designing advanced anion-sensing materials.