Tetraphenylantimony(V)-assisted transfer of hydroxide and fluoride anions across the 1,6-dichlorohexane | water interface.

Abstract

The ion-transfer reaction at the 1,6-dichlorohexane (DCH) | water (W) interface in the presence of an organometallic cation, tetraphenylantimony (TPhSb+), in DCH was studied voltammetrically. When TPhSb+ salt with [(C4F9SO2)2N]- ion was added to the DCH-phase and the W-phase was buffered at pH < 6, a reversible cyclic voltammogram due to the simple transfer of TPhSb+ ion across the DCH | W interface was observed within the polarizable potential window. When the W-phase was buffered at pH > 7, the midpoint potential shifted to more positive potentials with increasing pH. The voltammogram could be attributed to the transfer of the OH- ion assisted by the formation of TPhSbOH, which is stable in DCH. Also, a 7reversible voltammogram due to the TPhSb+-assisted transfer of F- ion was observed at the TPhSb+ (DCH) | F- (W, unbuffered) interfacial system. The same results were achieved when TPhSb[(C4F9SO2)2N] in DCH was replaced by TPhSbOH or TPhSbF, indicating the applicability of the TPhSb+ and TPhSbOH (DCH) | OH- (W) interfacial system to a pH sensor for alkaline solution and that of the TPhSb+ and TPhSbF (DCH) | F- (W) interface to a F- ion sensor.