University of Minnesota

Daron E Janzen

Kent R Mann

Christopher L Exstrom

Marie K Pomije

Charles A Daws

The present invention relates to a process for indicating the presence of organic vapors comprising the steps of determining the color, absorption or emission spectra of a Pt--Pt double-complex salt of platinum or a neutral platinum complex in the absence of organic vapor, exposing said double-complex salt of platinum or a neutral platinum complex to a gaseous environment, determining the color, absorption or emission spectra of said double-complex salt of platinum or a neutral platinum complex after exposure to said gaseous environment, and comparing the color, absorption and/or emission spectra of said double-complex salt of platinum or a neutral platinum complex in the absence of organic vapor with the color, absorption and/or emission spectra of said double-complex salt of platinum or a neutral platinum complex after exposure to said gaseous environment to determine if there is a difference in the color, absorption and/or emission spectra. The double-complex salt is represented by the general formulas �Pt(CN--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 -alkyl group).sub.4 !�PtX.sub.4 ! or �Pt(phen)(CN--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 -alkyl group).sub.2 !�PtX.sub.4 ! of �Pt(bpy)(CN--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 -alkyl group).sub.2 !�PtX.sub.4 ! and more preferably by the formulas �Pt(CN--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 --C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1).sub.4 !�Pt(CN).sub.4 ! or �Pt(phen)(CN--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 -alkyl group).sub.2 !�Pt(CN).sub.4 ! of �Pt(bpy)(CN--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 -alkyl group).sub.2 !�Pt(CN).sub.4 !, wherein n is a whole positive integer between 1 and 100. Still more preferably n is between 1 and 20. phen is 1,10-phenanthroline or an alkyl substituted phenanthroline, bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine or an alkyl substituted bipyridine. Other bidentate or tridentate amine ligands are also possible. The PtX.sub.4.sup.2- group can also be Pt(NO.sub.2).sub.4.sup.2-, Pt(Cl).sub.4.sup.2-, Pt(Br).sub.4.sup.2-, Pt(NCO).sub.4.sup.2-, Pt(NCS).sub.4.sup.2- or Pt(oxalate).sub.2.sup.2-. For the bpy and phen complexes, the palladium analogs of PtX.sub.4.sup.2- (ie. PdX.sub.4.sup.2- are also possible). The neutral complexes are represented by the general formulas Pt(CN--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 -alkyl group).sub.2 X.sub.2, and Pt(CN--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 -alkyl group)(C(Y).dbd.NH--C.sub.6 H.sub.4 -alkyl group)X.sub.2 wherein n is a whole positive integer between 1 and 100 and Y can be O-alkyl, NH-alkyl or N(alkyl).sub.2. Still more preferably n is between 1 and 20. The alkyl substituents may be different within the same complex. X is preferably CN.sup.-, but any other negatively charged groups such as NO.sub.2.sup.-, NCO.sup.-, NCS.sup.-, Cl.sup.-, Br.sup.-, I.sup.-, oxalate, etc. may also be used. The two X.sup.- groups are not necessarily the same.

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Minneapolis, MN, United States of America

Daron E Janzen