THE SYNTHESIS AND MEMBRANE-TRANSPORT CHARACTERISTICS OF MACROCYCLIC POLYETHER LIGANDS COMPOSED OF 1,10-PHENANTHROLINE AS CARRIERS FOR PRIMARY AMINE SPECIES

Four macrocyclic polyether derivatives of o-phenanthroline were synthesized and used as neutral carriers for preparing poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane electrodes to sense primary amine species. The potentiometric response characteristics of the electrodes prepared were investigated. The electrode sensitive to benzyl amine as model analyte showed a linear response range of 8.0 x 10(-6)-0.1 mol/l with a detection limit of 8.9 x 10(-7) mol/l and a slope of 56.5 mV/decade. The linear potentiometric response of the mexiletine-sensitive electrode was 4.7 x 10(-6)-0.1 mol/l, and the detection limit was 5.0 x 10(-7) mol/l with a slope of 59.0 mV/decade. The transfer behavior of amines and ammonium ions through an organic phase was investigated by means of the bulk liquid membrane transport experiment. The effects of pH, counter anions and other factors on the transfer of the amine and ammonium species were studied. The mass transfer rates of the test species facilitated by macrocyclic polyether derivatives of o-phenanthroline were determined and the following sequence was found: benzyl amine>ethyl amine > tetramethyl ammonium > triethyl amine > diethyl amine > K+ > ammonium > Na+ > Ca2+ > Mg2+. This was exactly the potentiometric selectivity sequence of the membrane electrodes prepared by using these carriers. The mechanism of transfer of benzyl amine through a membrane phase induced by the carriers has been elucidated on the basis of experimental observations.