Human blood reflects the health of internal organs and tissues, the constituent can be affected on account of abnormal health status. Moreover, the ion concentration of chloride and ammonium in human blood relates to the functionality of our kidney and liver, which is one of the most important health indicators. For real-time monitoring and detecting applications, this study uses micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) surface micromachining process technology to develop an extended-gate field-effect transistors (EGFET), and by combining two different ion-selective membranes (ISM), a disposable silicon-based chloride and ammonium micro ion sensor was fabricated. The main process steps include four photolithography process and two thin film deposition. In order to probe into the influences on modulating three designing parameters: (i) channel width to length ratio; (ii) channel shape; (iii) mixing ratio of the sensing film additives, the size of the sensing area is fixed to 1¡Ñ1 mm2 while the device is fixed to 6 mm3. In this thesis, the optimization of the development chloride and ammonium micro ion sensors, according to the measuring results from the commercial semiconductor analyzer (Agilent B1500A), when measuring range of 10-1~10-5 mol/L, the sensitivity and linearity for the chlorine ion sensor is 47.5 mV/pCl and 99.13%, as for the ammonium ion sensor are 41.2 mV/pNH4 and 99.28%, the interfering ion selectivity coefficients (log KCl,OH, log KNH ,Na) are -4.71 and 0.53 respectively.

Foram sintetizadas bisporfirinas, em que as unidades de porfirina encontram-se ligadas às posições 4,4\' da 2,2\'bipiridina através da formação de ligações amídicas, pela reação entre uma aminofenil porfirina monofuncionalizada (NH2PTriPP) e a 4,4\'-dicloreto de ácido bipiridina (DACBipy). Para a obtenção da NH2PTriPP foi necessário um estudo preliminar das condições de reação de síntese da molécula precursora da NH2PTriPP, a correspondente mono-nitrofenil porfirina (NO2PTriPP). A NO2PTriPP foi obtida com rendimentos da ordem de 60% em reações de nitração da TPP em ácido trifluoracético a temperatura ambiente, excessos de duas vezes de nitrito de sódio e tempos de reação não maiores que um minuto. Desta forma são obtidas apenas a mononitroporfirina e TPP que não reagiu sem a presença de outros produtos nitrados. Nestas condições se obtém grande reprodutibilidade e a mistura resultante de NO2PTriPP e TPP pode ser diretamente reduzida por cloreto de estanho para a obtenção da NH2PTriPP sem necessidade da separação da TPP. Após uma série de testes foi obtida a bisporfirina-bipiridina (BisPBipy) pela reação entre a NH2PTriPP e a DACBipy, sendo aspectos importantes nesta reação a obtenção do cloreto de ácido da bipiridina (DACBipy) in situ e utilização de excessos de aminoporfirina, ao invés de relações estequiométricas como é usual para este tipo de reação. Desta forma se evita a conversão do cloreto de ácido no respectivo ácido carboxílico que apresenta menor solubilidade e reatividade. Uma vez obtida a bisporfirina base livre foi possível sintetizar a respectiva bisporfirina metalada com íons de Zn(II) nas unidades de porlitina(BisZnPBipy) pela reação com cloreto de zinco. Os espectros de absorção da BisPBipy e BisZnPBipy apresentam perfil espectral característicos das porfirinas base livre e metaloporfirina, sendo os máximos de absorção tanto da banda Soret como das bandas Q praticamente coincidentes com os máximos de absorção da TPP e ZnTPP. As absortividades molares, entretanto, são duas vezes maiores, do que a TPP e ZnTPP, indicando a existência de duas unidades cromofóricas porfirínicas. Assim como observado para as propriedades de absorção UV-Vis, existe uma grande similaridade nas propriedades de emissão da BisPBipy e BisZnBipy com as moléculas modelo TPP e ZnTPP, respectivamente. A BisPBipy mantém o espectro de emissão de \"imagem especular reversa\" da TPP, indicando que a ligação a unidade de bipiridina não altera a geometria do estado excitado. Tanto a BisPBipy como a BisZnPBipy apresentam rendimentos quânticos de emissão de fluorescência similares a TPP e ZnTPP, indicando que para uma mesma fração de luz absorvida tem-se uma mesma emissão de fluorescência por unidade porfirínica presente nas bisporfirinas. Portanto as propriedades de absorção e emissão indicam que as unidades de porfirina atuam de forma independente não sendo influências pela ligação a unidade de bipiridina. Foi investigada a interação entre as bisporfirinas-bipiridinas e os íons Zn2+, Fe2+, Ni2+, Cu2+ e Co2+ em THF. Através de espectroscopia eletrônica UV-Vis e emissão de fluorescência foi possível constatar que ocorre interação entre as bisporfirinas-bipiridinas e os íons Ni2+, Cu2+ e Co2+. A presença destes íons metálicos em soluções das bisporfirinas-bipiridinas origina apenas pequenas alterações na intensidade da banda Soret; as bandas Q permanecem inalteradas. Este resultado é decorrente da interação dos íons metálicos com a unidade de bipiridina destas bisporfirinas, sendo que as alterações espectrais devidas a complexação ocorrem nas bandas centradas no ligante bipiridina que apresentam transições no ultravioleta, não interferindo apreciavelmente na região espectral das porfirinas. Contrariamente ao que foi observado nos espectros de absorção a presença de íons metálicos influencia de forma significativa a intensidade de fluorescência das bisporfirinas-bipiridinas investigadas, podendo ser observada a supressão de fluorescência em função do aumento da concentração dos íons metálicos. Utilizando os dados de emissão de fluorescência foi possível determinar a estequiometria dos complexos formados entre as bisporfirinas-bipiridinas e os íons metálicos. Co2+ e Cu2+ formam complexos de estequiometria 1:1, enquanto que Ni2+ forma complexos de estequiometria 2:1. A análise dos plots do tipo Stern-Volmer para a supressão de fluorescência das bisporfirinas-bipiridinas mostra um perfil exponencial típico de um processo de supressão não difusional. As constantes de Stern-Volmer aparentes (KSVap) mostram que não existe uma diferença significativa na eficiência de supressão independentemente da bisporfirina analisada ou do íon metálico supressor, sendo obtidos valores de KSVap de aproximadamente 5x105 M-1. Também foi realizado um estudo da interação das bisporfirinas-bipiridinas com o complexo [Eu(tta)3(H2O)2, não sendo observada uma interação apreciável nas condições normais de titulação, indicando que substituição das moléculas de água coordenada no complexo [Eu(tta)3(H2O)2 pela bipiridina não é favorecida em THF. Para as amostras submetidas a aquecimento é verificada uma supressão de fluorescência de aproximadamente 25-30%, indicando a ligação com a unidade bipiridina. Estas bisporfirinas se apresentam como moléculas promissoras no desenvolvimento de sistemas mais complexos contendo porfirinas devido a presença das unidades de bipiridina que possibilitam a formação de uma série de novas estruturas baseadas na coordenação a unidade de bipindina. Outra perspectiva é a elaboração bisporfirinas-bipiridinas, contendo outras metaloporfirinas como, por exemplo, de paládio, estanho, cobre, que também são luminescentes, porem com outras propriedades de estado excitado, resultando em sistemas de grande versatilidade. / In this work have been synthesized bisporphyrins held together by means of amide linkage at the 4,4\' position of 2,2-bipyridine, reacting the mono-functionalised aminophenyl-porphyrin (NH2PTriPP) and 4,4\'-diacid chloride bipyridine (DACBipy). A preliminary study was conducted for the establishment of the reaction conditions for the attainment of mono(nitrophenyl)-porphyrin (NO2PTriPP), the corresponding porphyrin precursor for the NH2PTriPP synthesis. The NO2PTriPP was obtained with yields in the range of 60% in nitration reactions of TPP in trifluoroacetic acid at room temperature, using twofold molar excess of sodium nitrite and period of reaction no longer than one minute. With these reaction conditions are achieved high reproducibility and the resulting mixture of NO2PTriPP and TPP can be directly reduced by tin chloride for obtaining NH2PTriPP without the need of TPP separation. After a series of trials the bisporphyrin-bipyridine (BisPBipy) was obtained reacting NH2PTriPP and DACBipy. Important features of this reaction conditions are the preparation in situ of the diacid chloride bipyridine and the use of a larger excess of aminoporphyrin than the usual for this kind of reaction. In this way, the formation of the corresponding carboxylic acid bipyridine is avoided. The correspondent Zn(II) bisporphyrin-bipyridine derivative (BisZnPBipy), was obtained reacting the free base BisPBipy with zinc chloride. The BisPBipy and BisZnPBipy show characteristic spectral profile of free base and metalloporphyrin spectra, and was observed a great similarity in the absorption maxima for the Soret and Q bands with the corresponding maxima of TPP and ZnTPP respectively. Otherwise the molar absorptivities are twofold higher, as an indication of the existence of two chromophoric units, as expected for bisporphyrins. As observed for the UV-Vis absorption spectra there are a great similarity in the emission properties of BisPBipy and BisZnPBipy and the models TPP and ZnTPP respectively. The \"reverse mirror image\" emission of TPP is also observed for BisPBipy, indicating that the porphyrin chromophore bounded to the bipyridine unit does not alter the excited state geometry. The fluorescence quantum yields for BisPBipy and BisZnPBipy are the same to the observed for TPP and ZnTPP, indicating that for the same fraction of absorbed light the same fluorescence is displayed per porphyrin unit in the bisporphyrin. It can be concluded from the absorption and emission properties that the porphyrin chromophore in these bisporphyrins behaves as independent units. The interaction between the bisporphyrins-bipyridines and Zn2+, Fe2+, Ni2+ , Cu2+ and Co2+ ions in THF was investigated by means of UV-Vis electronic absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopies, the results show that the interaction occurs only with Ni2+ , Cu2+ e Co2+ without formation of any precipitate. The presence of these metal ions in the bisporphyrin-bipyridine solutions causes small decrease in the intensity of the Soret band; the Q bands remaining unaltered. These spectral features are due to the interaction at the bipyridine unit of these bisporphyrins, and the resulting spectral changes occur in the ligand-centered bipyridine bands showing absorption in the ultra-violet, not matching appreciably the porphyrin absorption spectrum region. The presence of metal ions deeply influences the fluorescence emission intensity of these bisporphyrins, being observed the fluorescence quenching as function of the increasing metal ion concentration. From the fluorescence emission data the stoichiometry of the complexes formed in solution has been estimated for Co2+ and Cu2+ as 1:1 and for Ni2+ as 2:1. The analysis of the Stern-Volmer plots shows a typical profile of a non diffusional quenching process. The apparent Stern-Volmer constants (KSVap) show no significant differences independently of the bisporphyrin or the metal ion employed, being obtained KSVap values of approximately 5x105 M-1. In addition, it was studied the interaction between the bisporphyrins-bipyridines and the [Eu(tta)3(H2O)2 complex, with no appreciable interaction occurring at normal titrating conditions, as an indicative of disfavoring process of the replacement of the coordinated water molecules by the bipyridine ligand in THF. For the samples submitted to heating a fluorescence quenching of 25-30% can be observed, indicating that under heating conditions the complex with the bipyridine is formed. These bisporphyrins are promising in the development of more complex systems containing porphyrins due the presence of the bipyridine units that enable the formation of a series of new structures based on the bipyridine coordination. Another perspective is regarded to the elaboration of bisporphyrins-bipyridine containing different metalloporphyrins, such as palladium, tin, copper, that show luminescence, but with different excited state properties than the zinc porphyrin ones, resulting in systems of great versatility.

Foram sintetizadas bisporfirinas, em que as unidades de porfirina encontram-se ligadas às posições 4,4\' da 2,2\'bipiridina através da formação de ligações amídicas, pela reação entre uma aminofenil porfirina monofuncionalizada (NH2PTriPP) e a 4,4\'-dicloreto de ácido bipiridina (DACBipy). Para a obtenção da NH2PTriPP foi necessário um estudo preliminar das condições de reação de síntese da molécula precursora da NH2PTriPP, a correspondente mono-nitrofenil porfirina (NO2PTriPP). A NO2PTriPP foi obtida com rendimentos da ordem de 60% em reações de nitração da TPP em ácido trifluoracético a temperatura ambiente, excessos de duas vezes de nitrito de sódio e tempos de reação não maiores que um minuto. Desta forma são obtidas apenas a mononitroporfirina e TPP que não reagiu sem a presença de outros produtos nitrados. Nestas condições se obtém grande reprodutibilidade e a mistura resultante de NO2PTriPP e TPP pode ser diretamente reduzida por cloreto de estanho para a obtenção da NH2PTriPP sem necessidade da separação da TPP. Após uma série de testes foi obtida a bisporfirina-bipiridina (BisPBipy) pela reação entre a NH2PTriPP e a DACBipy, sendo aspectos importantes nesta reação a obtenção do cloreto de ácido da bipiridina (DACBipy) in situ e utilização de excessos de aminoporfirina, ao invés de relações estequiométricas como é usual para este tipo de reação. Desta forma se evita a conversão do cloreto de ácido no respectivo ácido carboxílico que apresenta menor solubilidade e reatividade. Uma vez obtida a bisporfirina base livre foi possível sintetizar a respectiva bisporfirina metalada com íons de Zn(II) nas unidades de porlitina(BisZnPBipy) pela reação com cloreto de zinco. Os espectros de absorção da BisPBipy e BisZnPBipy apresentam perfil espectral característicos das porfirinas base livre e metaloporfirina, sendo os máximos de absorção tanto da banda Soret como das bandas Q praticamente coincidentes com os máximos de absorção da TPP e ZnTPP. As absortividades molares, entretanto, são duas vezes maiores, do que a TPP e ZnTPP, indicando a existência de duas unidades cromofóricas porfirínicas. Assim como observado para as propriedades de absorção UV-Vis, existe uma grande similaridade nas propriedades de emissão da BisPBipy e BisZnBipy com as moléculas modelo TPP e ZnTPP, respectivamente. A BisPBipy mantém o espectro de emissão de \"imagem especular reversa\" da TPP, indicando que a ligação a unidade de bipiridina não altera a geometria do estado excitado. Tanto a BisPBipy como a BisZnPBipy apresentam rendimentos quânticos de emissão de fluorescência similares a TPP e ZnTPP, indicando que para uma mesma fração de luz absorvida tem-se uma mesma emissão de fluorescência por unidade porfirínica presente nas bisporfirinas. Portanto as propriedades de absorção e emissão indicam que as unidades de porfirina atuam de forma independente não sendo influências pela ligação a unidade de bipiridina. Foi investigada a interação entre as bisporfirinas-bipiridinas e os íons Zn2+, Fe2+, Ni2+, Cu2+ e Co2+ em THF. Através de espectroscopia eletrônica UV-Vis e emissão de fluorescência foi possível constatar que ocorre interação entre as bisporfirinas-bipiridinas e os íons Ni2+, Cu2+ e Co2+. A presença destes íons metálicos em soluções das bisporfirinas-bipiridinas origina apenas pequenas alterações na intensidade da banda Soret; as bandas Q permanecem inalteradas. Este resultado é decorrente da interação dos íons metálicos com a unidade de bipiridina destas bisporfirinas, sendo que as alterações espectrais devidas a complexação ocorrem nas bandas centradas no ligante bipiridina que apresentam transições no ultravioleta, não interferindo apreciavelmente na região espectral das porfirinas. Contrariamente ao que foi observado nos espectros de absorção a presença de íons metálicos influencia de forma significativa a intensidade de fluorescência das bisporfirinas-bipiridinas investigadas, podendo ser observada a supressão de fluorescência em função do aumento da concentração dos íons metálicos. Utilizando os dados de emissão de fluorescência foi possível determinar a estequiometria dos complexos formados entre as bisporfirinas-bipiridinas e os íons metálicos. Co2+ e Cu2+ formam complexos de estequiometria 1:1, enquanto que Ni2+ forma complexos de estequiometria 2:1. A análise dos plots do tipo Stern-Volmer para a supressão de fluorescência das bisporfirinas-bipiridinas mostra um perfil exponencial típico de um processo de supressão não difusional. As constantes de Stern-Volmer aparentes (KSVap) mostram que não existe uma diferença significativa na eficiência de supressão independentemente da bisporfirina analisada ou do íon metálico supressor, sendo obtidos valores de KSVap de aproximadamente 5x105 M-1. Também foi realizado um estudo da interação das bisporfirinas-bipiridinas com o complexo [Eu(tta)3(H2O)2, não sendo observada uma interação apreciável nas condições normais de titulação, indicando que substituição das moléculas de água coordenada no complexo [Eu(tta)3(H2O)2 pela bipiridina não é favorecida em THF. Para as amostras submetidas a aquecimento é verificada uma supressão de fluorescência de aproximadamente 25-30%, indicando a ligação com a unidade bipiridina. Estas bisporfirinas se apresentam como moléculas promissoras no desenvolvimento de sistemas mais complexos contendo porfirinas devido a presença das unidades de bipiridina que possibilitam a formação de uma série de novas estruturas baseadas na coordenação a unidade de bipindina. Outra perspectiva é a elaboração bisporfirinas-bipiridinas, contendo outras metaloporfirinas como, por exemplo, de paládio, estanho, cobre, que também são luminescentes, porem com outras propriedades de estado excitado, resultando em sistemas de grande versatilidade. / In this work have been synthesized bisporphyrins held together by means of amide linkage at the 4,4\' position of 2,2-bipyridine, reacting the mono-functionalised aminophenyl-porphyrin (NH2PTriPP) and 4,4\'-diacid chloride bipyridine (DACBipy). A preliminary study was conducted for the establishment of the reaction conditions for the attainment of mono(nitrophenyl)-porphyrin (NO2PTriPP), the corresponding porphyrin precursor for the NH2PTriPP synthesis. The NO2PTriPP was obtained with yields in the range of 60% in nitration reactions of TPP in trifluoroacetic acid at room temperature, using twofold molar excess of sodium nitrite and period of reaction no longer than one minute. With these reaction conditions are achieved high reproducibility and the resulting mixture of NO2PTriPP and TPP can be directly reduced by tin chloride for obtaining NH2PTriPP without the need of TPP separation. After a series of trials the bisporphyrin-bipyridine (BisPBipy) was obtained reacting NH2PTriPP and DACBipy. Important features of this reaction conditions are the preparation in situ of the diacid chloride bipyridine and the use of a larger excess of aminoporphyrin than the usual for this kind of reaction. In this way, the formation of the corresponding carboxylic acid bipyridine is avoided. The correspondent Zn(II) bisporphyrin-bipyridine derivative (BisZnPBipy), was obtained reacting the free base BisPBipy with zinc chloride. The BisPBipy and BisZnPBipy show characteristic spectral profile of free base and metalloporphyrin spectra, and was observed a great similarity in the absorption maxima for the Soret and Q bands with the corresponding maxima of TPP and ZnTPP respectively. Otherwise the molar absorptivities are twofold higher, as an indication of the existence of two chromophoric units, as expected for bisporphyrins. As observed for the UV-Vis absorption spectra there are a great similarity in the emission properties of BisPBipy and BisZnPBipy and the models TPP and ZnTPP respectively. The \"reverse mirror image\" emission of TPP is also observed for BisPBipy, indicating that the porphyrin chromophore bounded to the bipyridine unit does not alter the excited state geometry. The fluorescence quantum yields for BisPBipy and BisZnPBipy are the same to the observed for TPP and ZnTPP, indicating that for the same fraction of absorbed light the same fluorescence is displayed per porphyrin unit in the bisporphyrin. It can be concluded from the absorption and emission properties that the porphyrin chromophore in these bisporphyrins behaves as independent units. The interaction between the bisporphyrins-bipyridines and Zn2+, Fe2+, Ni2+ , Cu2+ and Co2+ ions in THF was investigated by means of UV-Vis electronic absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopies, the results show that the interaction occurs only with Ni2+ , Cu2+ e Co2+ without formation of any precipitate. The presence of these metal ions in the bisporphyrin-bipyridine solutions causes small decrease in the intensity of the Soret band; the Q bands remaining unaltered. These spectral features are due to the interaction at the bipyridine unit of these bisporphyrins, and the resulting spectral changes occur in the ligand-centered bipyridine bands showing absorption in the ultra-violet, not matching appreciably the porphyrin absorption spectrum region. The presence of metal ions deeply influences the fluorescence emission intensity of these bisporphyrins, being observed the fluorescence quenching as function of the increasing metal ion concentration. From the fluorescence emission data the stoichiometry of the complexes formed in solution has been estimated for Co2+ and Cu2+ as 1:1 and for Ni2+ as 2:1. The analysis of the Stern-Volmer plots shows a typical profile of a non diffusional quenching process. The apparent Stern-Volmer constants (KSVap) show no significant differences independently of the bisporphyrin or the metal ion employed, being obtained KSVap values of approximately 5x105 M-1. In addition, it was studied the interaction between the bisporphyrins-bipyridines and the [Eu(tta)3(H2O)2 complex, with no appreciable interaction occurring at normal titrating conditions, as an indicative of disfavoring process of the replacement of the coordinated water molecules by the bipyridine ligand in THF. For the samples submitted to heating a fluorescence quenching of 25-30% can be observed, indicating that under heating conditions the complex with the bipyridine is formed. These bisporphyrins are promising in the development of more complex systems containing porphyrins due the presence of the bipyridine units that enable the formation of a series of new structures based on the bipyridine coordination. Another perspective is regarded to the elaboration of bisporphyrins-bipyridine containing different metalloporphyrins, such as palladium, tin, copper, that show luminescence, but with different excited state properties than the zinc porphyrin ones, resulting in systems of great versatility.

The thesis entitled “New Supramolecular Ion Sensing Probes and their Application in the Detection of Environmentally Relevant Ions” deals with the design and synthesis of several small molecular probes which can specifically sense environmentally relevant ions of (anion or cation) particularly in aqueous or biological medium. The probes have been designed using four different molecular entities which include anthraquinone, oxidized bis-indolyl system, pyrene and rhodamine. The probes afford naked eye detection of a particular ion in the aqueous medium. This work has been divided into six chapters. Chapter 1. Introduction The first chapter gives a brief idea of ion sensor. It provides the description of various approaches used for designing molecular sensors. The chapter further presents an overview of the four different dyes (anthraquinone, oxidized-bis-indole, pyrene and rhodamine) used for designing probes in this work. The properties of these probes, their advantages and disadvantages to use as a signaling subunit have been discussed. This chapter also describes the use of micellar medium for solubilizing different organic dyes in water. Chapter 2. Colorimetric Probes based on Anthraimidazolediones for Selective Sensing of Fluoride and Cyanide ion via Intramolecular Charge Transfer. The second chapter describes the design and synthesis of four different probes based on anthra [1, 2-d] imidazole-6, 11-dione. The anthraquinone part of each molecule has an acceptor moiety whereas substituted nitrogen linked aromatic unit forms the donor site. Each probe acted as strong colorimetric sensor for fluoride and cyanide ion detection and exhibited intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) band which showed significant red-shifts after addition of either the F¯ or CN¯ ion. One of the probes 2 showed selective colorimetric sensing for both cyanide and fluoride ions. In organic medium 2 showed selective color change with fluoride and cyanide, whereas in aqueous organic medium it showed a selective ratiometric response towards cyanide ion. The effect of anionic charge (on the donor moiety) on ICT has been discussed. Among the various donor moieties, the donor site having negative charges on them was found to disperse greater electron density on them. Figure 1. Molecular structures of the sensors Chapter 3 deals with chemodosimetric detection of cyanide ion in water using various oxidized bis-indole based compounds. Chapter 3A. A Chemodosimetric Probe based on a Conjugated and oxidized Bis¬ indolyl System for Selective Naked Eye Sensing of Cyanide ion in Water. The chapter 3A describes the design and synthesis of a new water-soluble bis-indolyl based probe, 5 which possesses two –COOH groups. This probe specifically reacted with the CN¯ ion in pure water at ambient temperature and produced a remarkable change in color from red to colorless. The mechanism of this process was investigated by NMR (1H, 13C and DEPT-135) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and kinetic studies. The mechanism investigation showed that the cyanide ion reacts with the probe and removes the conjugation of the bis-indolyl moiety of the probe with that of the 4-substituted aromatic ring which renders the probe colorless. Taken together a plausible mechanism of the reaction was presented which showed to operate via a Michael type adduct formation under ambient conditions of pH and temperature in water. The probe gave a detection limit of 0.38 ppm for detection of cyanide ion in water. Figure 2. Molecular structure of the probe 5. Chapter 3B. Micelle Assisted ppb level Detection of Cyanide ion in Water by Chemodosimetry and Visual detection of the Endogenous Cyanide. The chapter 3B deals with the synthesis of a bis-indole based colorimetric probe 6. The probe showed selective detection of the cyanide ion in water at ppb level and a visible detection of endogenous cyanide from cassava (a major staple food in the developing world) by chemodosimetry. The cyanide ion binds with the probe 6 in a chemodosimetric fashion and follows pseudo first-order kinetics in water under appropriate conditions. It showed a highly sensitive detection of the cyanide ion in water with a detection limit of 0.33 ppm. The use of the micellar medium improved the detection limit drastically and a ppb level detection limit was achieved. The probe also showed the detection of the endogenously bound cyanide in cassava both visually and by spectrophotometer. Figure 3. Molecular structure of the probe 6. Chapter 3C. Ratiometric Cyanide ion probe in Water and for the detection of the Endogenously bound cyanide. Chapter 3C presents the synthesis of two new bis-indolyl (7 and 8) based probes for colorimetric detection of cyanide ion in pure water. Compound 8 showed a ratiometric response with cyanide in water and a visual detection of the endogenously bound cyanide ion in cassava. Using compound 8 the selective detection of the cyanide ion in water was achieved with a detection limit of ~ 17 ppb which is almost 13 times lower than the permitted limit as specified by EPA, United States. 7; R = H 8; R = -(OCH2CH2)3CH3 Figure 4. Molecular structures of the probes 1 and 2. Chapter 4 deals with the colorimetric and ratiometric detection of the Cu2+and Hg2+ions using different small synthetic molecular probes. Chapter 4A. Colorimetric Sensors for Ratiometric Detection of Copper and Mercury ions in Biological media and below ppm level in Water. The chapter 4A deals with the synthesis of two novel colorimetric probes (9, 10) using bispicolyl unit as the binding moiety and anthraimidazolediones and bis-indolyl system as a signaling sub-unit. Using the two sensors, Cu2+ion can be detected below the permitted limit (1.3 ppm) in both drinking water and at physiological pH 7.4. Sensor 9 can detect both Cu2+and Hg2+ in water with very low detection limit. It showed specific binding with Cu2+ at physiological pH 7.4 and in presence of serum albumins. Chemosensor 10 can be used for the specific detection of both Cu2+and Hg2in water as well as for the contamination in microorganisms. Figure 5. Molecular structure of the sensors 9 and 10. Chapter 4B. A New Molecular Probe for the Selective Sensing of Cu2+ and Hg2+ ions in Micellar Media and in Live ells.This chapter describes a synthesis of a novel bispicolyl based sensor 11 which can detect Cu2+ ion specifically in water medium and both Cu2+ and Hg2+ ions selectivelyin Brij-58 micellar medium. In micellar medium both the ions can be detected in the ppb level. Using fluorescence spectroscopy these two metal ions can be discriminated.The probe is also be useful for checking metal ion contamination in cellular samples. Figure 6. Molecular structure of the sensor 11. Chapter 4C. Rhodamine based Sensors for Cu2+ and Hg2+ ions in Water and in Biological media. The chapter 4C presents the synthesis and the sensing properties of the three positional isomers of the pyridine end of the rhodamine-pyridine compounds (12-14). The three isomers only differ in the position of nitrogen of the pyridine moiety. Sensor 12, which contains the pyridine nitrogen at the ortho-position showed selective sensing toward Cu2+ ion in both pure water and in buffered physiological media of pH 7.4. It gave a detection limit of ~13 ppb which is 100 times lesser than the EPA permitted limit. The other two sensors 13 and 14, which possessed the pyridine ends with the nitrogen atom at the meta- and the para- positions respectively showed the selective sensing of Hg2+ ion in water and did not show any interaction with the Cu2+ ion. Probes 2 and 3 showed ‘turn-on’ detection of Hg2+ ion both in the UV-vis and the fluorescence emission spectroscopy. Compound 2 and 3 showed a detection limit of ~ 9 and 4 ppb respectively. The NMR titration showed the change in color was due to the opening of the spirolactam ring of the rhodamine. The sensors can also be used for the detection of Cu2+ and Hg2+ ion in real life water samples and in the live cells. Figure 7. Molecular structure of the sensors 12, 13 and 14. Chapter 5. Ratiometric and ppb level Detection of Toxic Transition Metal ions using a Single Probe in Micellar media. This chapter describes the selective sensing of multiple ions using a single probe 15. The probe incorporates pyrene and pyridine as signaling and interacting moiety respectively. The sensor showed different responses towards different metal ions just by varying the medium of detection. In organic solvent (acetonitrile), the probe showed selective detection of Hg2+ ion. In water the fluorescence quenching was observed with three metal ions, Cu2+, Hg2+ and Ni2+. Further just by varying the surface charge of different micellar media, the probe showed selective interaction with Hg2+ ion in neutral micelles (Brij-58). However, in anionic micellar medium (SDS), the probe showed selective changes with both Cu2+ and Ni2+ in the UV-vis spectroscopy. The discrimination between these two ions was achieved by emission spectroscopy, where it showed selective quenching only with Cu2+. Thus using a single probe all the three metal ions Cu2+, Hg2+ and Ni2+ can be detected and discriminated just by varying the surface charge of the micellar medium. Figure 8. Molecular structure of the sensors 15. Chapter 6. Highly sensitive Rhodamine Based Dual Probes for the Visual detection of F¯ and Hg2+ ions in Water. This chapter deals with the design and synthesis of two new rhodamine based probes (16-17) which act as dual probes for the ppb level selective detection of Hg2+ and F¯ ions in water and at physiological pH 7.4. The two probes were synthesized by coupling tert-butyldiphenylsilyl (TBDPS) protected forms of 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and 2, 4- dihydroxy benzaldehyde with rhodamine hydrazone. The F¯ ion detection is based on the desilylation of the probe, whereas the spirolactam ring opening leads to the detection of Hg2+ ion. The two probes gave turn-on detection of both Hg2+ and F¯ ion selectively in aqueous medium with the detection limit well below the EPA permitted limits. The probes showed detection of both the ions by dual mode with visibly different color and fluorescence under UV-lamp. The F¯ ion interacts with the silyl bond of probe and the cleavage results into yellow color whereas; the addition of Hg2+ ion to the probe solution opened the spirolactam ring and resulted into appearance of pink color. Figure 9. Molecular structure of the probes 16 and 17. (For structural formula pl see the abstract file)