Fluorescent lipophilic lithium ionophores

Ionophores which are at the same time selective and sensitive for lithium ion in the presence of physiologically relevant concentrations of sodium, potassium, and hydrogen ions have been the subject of much research for application to ion selective electrodes. We report here our recent work to design, synthesize, and test both neutral and anionic ionophores which respond selectively and reversibly to lithium ion with an increase in fluorescence. The intent is to produce lithium sensitive fluorophores for fiber optic sensing. Selectivities of fluorescent acyclic and crown macrocyclic ionophores are described in acetonitrile and aqueous/chloroform solvent systems.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.