A convenient synthesis and preliminary photophysical study of novel fluoroionophores: macrocyclic polyamines containing two dansylamidoethyl side arms

A series of novel fluorophores, consisting of macrocyclic polyamines containing two dansylamidoethyl side arms were synthesized as potential zinc (II) fluoroionophores by the reaction of the appropriate macrocyclic polyamines with N-dansylaziridine in acetonitrile at reflux temperature. Preliminary photophysical studies of ligand 3a, 1,7-dimethyl-4,10-bis(dansylamidoethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane, 3j, 8,13-bis(dansylamidoethyl)-3-hydroxymethyl-1,3,10-trithia-8,13-diazacyclopentadecane, and their complexes with Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, and Hg2+ are described.