Selected Applications in Antenna Structures

So far in this section the examples discussed have comprised of hetero aromatic antenna receptors, which mainly function as pH sensors. The detection of metal cations in biological, medical and ecological applications is of major interest. However, this requires more elaborate receptors that can selectively bind a specific metal cation. Naturally, the more elaborate the receptor required, the more challenging its synthesis becomes. The synthesis of lanthanide-based sensors of 53 and 54 has been reported with each ligand incorporating an antenna/receptor selective for zinc(ll) [158,159]. In both cases the receptors are structurally similar, with 53 synthesised from benzylamine and 54 from aniline. 

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