The mining and processing of uranium ore for use in nuclear power plants is an integral aspect of energy production in the United States; however, these processes can lead to pollution with wastes that can form uranium oxides in aqueous environments. Molecular recognition of metals using salen ligands, with the O-N-N-O binding motif, can be used to detect the presence of these uranium species for more efficient remediation. Complexation of salen ligands can also occur even with other metals present in the environment, such as common transition metal contaminants. A condensation reaction between a 2,3-diaminophenazine backbone and two 3,5-ditertbutylsalicylaldehyde moieties results in a chemosensor that can distinguish the presence of actinides in solution as compared to other common contaminants. All of the metal complexes exhibit a visible color change, as well as a distinct shift in UV-Vis absorption, dependent upon the identity of the metal center. Here, a series of transition metal complexes are characterized and compared to the uranyl complex.

Molecular recognition of uranyl using salen ligand chemosensors

251st National Meeting (2016)

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