Monolayers of the photosensitive benzodithia-15-crown-5 derivative

The amphiphilic benzodithia-15-crown-5 styryl dye forms relatively stable insoluble monolayers on distilled water (collapse pressure is 34.5 mN m−1) and alkali metal cations (35.6–36.7 mN m−1) or heavy metal cations (24.2 mN m−1 for Ag+) in the aqueous subphase. Three types of the dye monolayer structures depending on the subphase nature (water, alkali metal or heavy metal cations) have been distinguished from surface pressure-molecular area and surface potential-molecular area isotherms, as well as observed by Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). The ionoselective and photosensitive properties of the amphiphilic dye in monolayers have been studied in the presence of K+, Na+, Hg2+ and Ag+ cations in the aqueous subphases.