Highly Selective Ratiometric Fluorescent Sensor for La(III) Ion Based on a New Schiff's Base

A new fluorescent sensor containing (1-[({2-[2-(2-hydroxy-1-naphtyl)-3-(2-{[(E)-1-(2-hydroxy-1-naphtyl)methylidene]amino}ethyl)-1-imidazolidinyl]ethyl}imino)methyl]-2-naphthol) (L) was synthesized for detecting La(III) ratiometrically. Complexation between compound L and La(III) with high selectivity gives rise to a great red shift from 430 to 522nm in the emission spectra. In acetonitrile, the red shift of fluorescent emission upon lanthanium binding is due to the formation of a 1:1 metal-ligand complex. The fluorescent probe exhibits high selectivity over other common metal ions and mono-, di-, and trivalent cations, which indicates good selectivity for La(III) ions over a large number of interfering cations.