Optical detection of alcohols with a Cu()HETPHEN complex by reversible aldehyde to hemiacetal conversion

• Published in: Analyst (London) Vol. 148; no. 18; pp. 4274 - 4278
• Main Authors: Wang, Lei, Xie, Zhu-Lin, Li, Xin, Lynch, Vincent M, Mulfort, Karen L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Royal Society of Chemistry 11.09.2023; Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
• Subjects: Alcohols; Aldehydes; Coordination compounds; Copper; Copper converters; Functional groups; Transition metal compounds
• ISSN: 0003-2654; 1364-5528
• DOI: 10.1039/d3an01005h

A heteroleptic copper( i ) bis(phenanthroline) complex with aldehyde groups at the 4,7 positions of the phenanthroline ligand was synthesized. The complex is responsive to alcohol, resulting in a distinct colour change caused by the facile reaction of the aldehyde group with alcohol, forming a hemiacetal product. The aldehyde species can be regenerated after heating the intermediate at 80 °C for 10 minutes, demonstrating the reusability of the complex for alcohol detection. This work presents a new strategy for applying transition metal complexes in small molecule sensing by installing functional groups in the secondary coordination sphere which reversibly react with analytes. A heteroleptic copper( i ) bis(phenanthroline) complex with aldehyde groups at the 4,7 positions of the phenanthroline ligand.