Performance of tris(2-methyl-8-quinolinolato)aluminum as fluorescent anionophore.

An X-ray crystallographic study demonstrated that the tris complex of Al3+ with 2-methyl-8-quinolinol (Hmq), [Al(mq)3], had a discrete octahedral geometry in a meridional configuration with respect to mq-; the Al-N bonds were appreciably elongated. In organic solvents, the complex reacted with water to give a lower species of a mu-oxo dimer, [Al2O(mq)4], and a protonated ligand, depending on the concentrations of water and of excess ligand. None of Cl-, Br-, I-, ClO4-, and CH3COO- showed any reactions with [Al(mq)3]. The anions having high affinities to Al3+, such as H2PO4- and F-, replaced all the ligand. The anion having a lower affinity, HSO4-, exclusively formed a mixed-ligand complex of [Al(mq)2HSO4], which had a more intense fluorescence than the others. In contrast, the corresponding 8-quinolinol (Hq) complex, [Alq3], showed no reactions with any anions.