Hemispherands in ion-sensitive compositions

Claim 2

An ion-sensitive composition, particularly for use in an ion-sensitive electrode, including an ionophore, a compound capable of solvating the ionophore and a supporting matrix, characterized in that said ionophore is a lipophilic hemispherand compound.

Claim 3

A composition according to claim 1 characterized in that said composition is capable of selectively transportaing a first metal ion in preference to a second metal ion, wherein said lipophilic hemispherand compound has a AG of complexation with said first ion which is at least 0.3 Kcal/mole greater than the AG of complexation with said second ion.

Claim 4

An ion-sensitive electrode comprising (a) a reference electrode in contact with (b) a reference composition in contact with one.side of (c) an ion-sensitive membrane characterized in that said membrane is a composition according to claim 1 or 2.

Claim 5

A dry operative ion-selective electrode comprising: (a) a dried internal reference element comprising a reference electrode in contact with the dried residue of a solution of a salt and a hydrophilic polymeric binder in a solvent for the polymer and the salt and, (b) in contact with said reference element, a hydrophobic ion-selective membrane of predetermined uniform thickness in regions thereof intended for contact with a sample for analysis, characterized in that said membrane is a composition according to claim 2.

Claim 6

The invention of any previous claim characterized in that said compound capable of solvating the ionophore is a hydrophobic carrier solvent.

Claim 7

The invention of any previous claim characterized in that said hemispherand is represented by the structural formula: wherein each RCU is a rigid cyclic unit individually selected from the group consisting of units of the structure: wherein R 2 is hydrogen or a group selected from alkyl, including substituted alkyl; alkenyl, including substituted alkenyl; cycloalkyl, including substituted cycloalkyl; aryl, including substituted aryl; and alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl and aryl groups containing heteroatoms or containing heteroatom substituents; R 3 is an alkyl, including substituted alkyl, or alkenyl, including substituted alkenyl, group or, when taken together with an R 3 group from another RCU, forms an alkylene group or an alkylene group interrupted with heteroatoms; and R 1 represents the atoms necessary to complete a macrocyclic ring structure, with the proviso that R 1 contains (a) at least one coordinating site for ions and (b) at least two alkylene groups as part of the ring structure.

Claim 8

The invention of any previous claim characterized in that said hemispherand compound is selected from the group consisting of: 3,3"-oxybis(ethyleneoxymethylene)-2,2',2"- trimethoxy-5,5',5"-trimethyl-1,1':3',1"-terphenyl, 3,3"-oxybis(ethyleneoxymethylene)-2,2"- ethoxy-2'-propoxy-5,5',5 "'-trimethyl-1,1':3',1"- terphenyl, 3,3"-oxybis(ethyleneoxymethylene)-2'-methoxy-2,2"-trimethylenedioxy-5,5',5"-trimethyl-1,1':3`,1"- erphenyl, - 3,3"-oxybis(ethyleneoxymethylene)-2,2"- pentamethylenedioxy-2'-ethoxy-5,5',5"-trimethyl- l,l':3'1"-terphenyl and 3,3"-oxybis(ethyleneoxymethylene)-2,2"- pentamethylenedioxy-2'-allyloxy-5,5',5"-trimethyl-1,1':3'1"-terphenyl.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 2 or 4 wherein said first ion is sodium and said second ion is potassium.

Claim 10

The invention of claim 2 or 4 wherein said hemispherand has a AG of complexation with sodium which is at least .5 Kcal/mole greater than the AG of complexation with potassium.

Claim 11

The invention of any previous claim characterized in that the compound capable of solvating the hemispherand compound is selected from the group consisting of phthalates, sebacates, aromatic and aliphatic ethers, phosphates, mixed aromatic-aliphatic phosphates, adipates and nitrated ethers or esters.

Claim 12

The invention of any previous claim characterized in that said supporting matrix is porous glass.

Claim 13

The invention of any previous claim characterized in that said supporting matrix is a hydrophobic polymer.

Claim 14

The invention of any previous claim characterized in that the composition or electrode comprises a surfactant.