RESUMO
A convenient synthesis of C3-symmetric tribenzylamine (TBA) derivatives has been investigated. The reaction of benzyl chlorides with acetaldehyde ammonia trimer () in the presence of base afforded tribenzylamines in high yields. This efficient method allows the diverse synthesis of TPA (tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) and TQA (tris(2-quinolylmethyl)amine) derivatives. Among the TQA compounds prepared, tris(8-methoxy-2-quinolylmethyl)amine (8-MeOTQA, ) exhibited superior properties as a fluorescent zinc probe with high quantum yield (ÏZn = 0.51) and high sensitivity (limit of detection (LOD) = 3.4 nM). The X-ray crystallographic analysis of [Zn(8-MeOTQA)](2+) revealed that the steric and electronic effect of 8-methoxy substituents kicks out the solvent and counterion molecules from the metal coordination sphere, resulting in short Zn-Nquinoline coordination distances (2.04-2.07 Å). The pseudo hexacoordinate complex of 6-methoxy derivative, [Zn(6-MeOTQA)(DMF)(ClO4)](+), exhibited longer Zn-Nquinoline distances (2.07-2.19 Å) and much smaller fluorescence intensity (ÏZn = 0.027). The replacement of one of the three 8-methoxyquinolines with pyridine also afforded much less fluorescent zinc complex (ÏZn = 0.095) due to the solvent coordination (Zn-Nquinoline = 2.05-2.18 Å for [Zn(8-MeOBQPA)(CH3OH)](2+)).
RESUMO
TACN (1,4,7-triazacyclononane) derivatives with three 6-methoxy-2-quinolylmethyl or 1-isoquinolylmethyl moieties were examined as fluorescent zinc sensors. Upon the addition of zinc, 6-MeOTQTACN (5) exhibited a 9-fold fluorescence increase at 420 nm (λex = 341 nm, ÏZn = 0.070). Fluorescence enhancement is specific for zinc and cadmium, although cadmium induces smaller increases (ICd/I0 = 3.6 and ICd/IZn = 40%). The isoquinoline analog 1-isoTQTACN (6) exhibits minimal fluorescence enhancement upon zinc binding. TPEN (N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylene-diamine) does not extract zinc from the 6-MeOTQTACN-Zn complex (5-Zn). The quantum yield, metal ion selectivity and metal binding affinity differences between TACN and ethylenediamine (EN) skeletons in quinoline-based ligands are discussed based on the X-ray crystallographic analysis of zinc and cadmium complexes, demonstrating the superiority of quinoline-TACN conjugates.
