The Development of Novel Organic Metal Ion Sensors

The determination of metal ions and their quantification in water treatment can be performed by the use of small molecule organic sensors that change to different colors upon binding to different metal ions. The color changes associated with these organic sensors is a known phenomenon that is dependent on the architecture of the sensor and its ability to selectively bind some metals over others. The creation of novel organic sensors can occur through many known synthetic pathways, this project entails the development of a specific array of sensors known more commonly as azo dyes. The development of the dyes this project sought to attain required a variety of methods that facilitated the transformation of starting reagents to the final azo dye. Presently, it has been determined that the formation of azo dyes based on heterocyclic aromatic amines cannot occur through the traditional method of transformation. Alternative pathways have also been explored which have afforded the intended products, this secondary method thereby allows for unreactive heterocyclic aromatic amines to be made into azo dyes. The development of a more robust synthetic pathway will allow a larger array of azo dyes to be generated that will respond differently toward different metal ions. Thus, if the architecture of the target organic sensors is not sufficiently selective for one metal ion there still remains the ability to derivative the organic sensor to tune its selectivity. Through these investigations it may be possible to develop a handful of organic metal ion sensors that respond to multiple metals with sufficient differences to identify and quantify what metal ions exist and how many exist during water treatment