8-Hydroxyquinoline based neutral tripodal ionophore as a copper (II) selective electrode and the effect of remote substitutents on electrode properties

New PVC membrane ion selective electrodes based on 1,3,5-Tris(8-quinolinoxymethyl)-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene (MO8HQ) are reported. The basic sensing material belongs to the group of tripodal ionophores. Also their derivatives prepared by placing suitable substitutents at fifth position of 8-oxine moiety, i.e, 1,3,5-Tris(5-chloro-8-quinolinoxymethyl)-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene (5CHQ), 1,3,5-Tris(5-benzoyl-8-quinolinoxymethyl)-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene (5BHQ) and 1,3,5-Tris[(5-phenylhydroxymethylene)-8-quinolinoxymethyl]-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene (HYD-8HQ) ionophores have also been used to make copper-selective membrane electrodes. Among all the four electrodes, MO8HQ and HYD-8HQ ionophores based electrodes show excellent response towards Cu (II) ions. The electrodes having composition 33% PVC, 4% MO8HQ and 63% dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and 33% PVC, 6% HYD-8HQ, 63% dibutyl phthalate (DBP) exhibit a good Nernstian response to Cu (II) ions in the range of 1.0 × 10−6 to 1 × 10−1 M. The electrode shows a reasonably fast response time of 15 s. The effect of pH and electrode response is also reported. It shows good selectivity for Cu (II) ions in comparison to heavy metal ions, transition metal ions and for alkali and alkaline earth metal ions. The electrode response and selectivity remains unchanged for at least 5 months. The electrode can be used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Cu (II) ions with EDTA.