Synthesis and evaluation of bipendant-armed (oligo)thiophene crown ether derivatives as new chemical sensors

Three new (oligo)thiophene bipendant-armed ligands, derived from 2-(aminomethyl)-15-crown-5, have been synthesized by reductive amination of formyl thiophenes in the presence of NaBH(OAc)3. The photophysical properties of the ligands were studied and they were also evaluated as chemosensors in the presence of Na(I), Ag(I), Pd(II), and Hg(II) cations in acetonitrile solution.