Homooxacalix[3]arene derivatives as ionophores for serotonin-selective membrane electrodes

Homooxacalix[3]arene derivatives are effective ionophores for constructing serotonin-selective membrane electrodes. An electrode based on one of the derivatives, tris(methoxyphenylpropyloxy)hexahomooxacalix[3]arene-triethyl ether, with potassium tetrakis(p-chlorophenyl)borate (20 mol% relative to the ionophore) as an ionic additive and bis(2-ethylhexyl) sebacate as a solvent mediator in a poly(vinyl chloride) membrane matrix, displayed much better selectivity for serotonin than for various organic ammonium ions and inorganic cations. The electrode exhibited a near-Nernstian response to serotonin in the concentration range of 2 x 10(-4) to 1 x 10(-2) M with a slope of 56.4 mV per concentration decade in physiological saline containing 150 mM NaCl and 10 mM Na2HPO4/NaH2PO4 (pH 7.4). The limit of the detection was 8 x 10(-5) M. The selectivity pattern of this electrode was quite different from that of an electrode using calix[6]arene-hexaacetic acid hexaethyl ester, a well-known ionophore for primary organic ammonium ions, which did not induce an enhanced response to serotonin. The developed electrode was used for the active loading of serotonin in liposomes induced by transmembrane pH gradients.