Membrane Potential Photoresponse of Crowned Malachite Green Derivatives Affording Perfect Photoswitching of Metal Ion Complexation

Photoirradiation effect on potential response to metal ion concentrations and photoinduced potential change were investigated with poly(vinyl chloride) membranes based on a Malachite Green derivative carrying a bis(monoaza-15-crown-5) moiety, by comparing other Malachite Green derivatives. The Malachite Green carrying a bis(crown ether) moiety caused a potential response to potassium ion concentration changes under dark condition. In the membrane potential response, a clear-cut photoinduced switching of potential response was realized by the membrane of Malachite Green carrying a bis(crown ether) moiety, which exhibited no potential response to potassium ion concentrations (0 mV/decade) on UV irradiation. On the other hand, a Malachite Green carrying a monocyclic benzocrown ether moiety showed a considerable dependence of the membrane potential on the metal ion concentrations under both dark and UV irradiation conditions.