Abstract
1,1 - (1,4,10,13 - Tetraoxa - 7,16 - diazacyclooctadecane - 7,16-diyldimethyl)ferrocene, 1, is the first redox-switchable ligand that is useful in aqueous solution. This ligand can then be used to quantitatively detect Ag
+
ion at micromolar concentration levels in such media. The efficacy of this unique ligand results, at least partially, from a novel direct interaction between the ferrocenyl iron atom and the bound silver cation. Differential pulse or square wave voltammetric methods were used to demonstrate the quantitative and reproducible detection of Ag
−
ion in the important concentration range 5-60 μM.