Selective luminescence detection of cadmium(II) and mercury(II) utilizing sulfur-containing anthraquinone macrocycles (part 2) and formation of an unusual Hg22+-crown ether dimer via reduction of Hg(II) by DMF

Sulfur-containing photoinduced charge transfer (PCT) sensors 1,8-anthraquinone-18-dithiacrown-5 (2) and 1,8-anthraquinone-18-trithiacrown-5 (3) selectively detect both inorganic Cd(II) and Hg(II). Simple heteroatom substitution of the receptor combined with an integrated intraannular carbonyl oxygen fine-tunes selectivity by simple synthetic design. In addition, the high yield synthesis of mercurous ion, Hg22+, has also been observed via the reduction of Hg(II) in the solvent dimethylformamide (DMF), which has not been previously reported. Spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic results for Cd2+, Hg22+ and Mg2+ complexes of oxygen and sulfur-containing derivatives of 1,8-anthraquinone-18-crown-5 are presented.

Graphical abstractSulfur-containing photoinduced charge transfer (PCT) sensors 1,8-anthraquinone-18-dithiacrown-5 (2) and 1,8-anthraquinone-18-trithiacrown-5 (3) selectively detect both inorganic Cd(II) and Hg(II). Simple heteroatom substitution of the receptor combined with an integrated intraannular carbonyl oxygen fine-tunes selectivity by simple synthetic design. In addition, the high yield synthesis of mercurous ion, Hg22+, has also been observed via the reduction of Hg(II) in the solvent dimethylformamide (DMF), which has not been previously reported. Spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic results for Cd2+, Hg22+ and Mg2+ complexes of oxygen and sulfur-containing derivatives of 1,8-anthraquinone-18-crown-5 are presented.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide