The present invention relates to π-conjugated fluoroionophores, methods for their preparation, and their use and a method for determining an alkali ion.
Fluoroionophoric compounds of the general formula I are described
Ionophore-π-Linker-Fluorophore (I)
wherein
the Ionophore is an anilino containing crown ether or cryptand with one or more anilino donor moieties as electron donors, forming a stable complex with an alkali metal ion
the π-Linker is an aromatic or heteroaromatic conjugative linking moiety, and the Fluorophore is an electron acceptor moiety.
Variation of the ionophoric unit offers a broad spectrum of detectable K+ and Na+-concentrations, ranging from high concentration around 800 mM down to very low concentrations around 3 mM.
The fluoroionophores have great potential for application in fluorescent optode system based blood analyzing equipment for methods and kits for the determination of K+ and Na+ concentrations in biological systems, either in vitro or in vivo, using embodiments of the disclosed fluoroionophores.