Abstract
The complex [Tp^Ph,Me^Ni(Cl)Pz^Ph,Me^H] (I) [Tp^Ph,Me^=hydrotris(3‐phenyl‐5‐methyl‐pyrazol‐1‐yl)borate; Pz^Ph,Me^H=3‐phenyl‐5‐methyl‐pyrazole] has been synthesized and explored as ionophore for the preparation of a poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane sensor for benzoate anions. The formation constants for the interaction of complex I with different organic/inorganic anions in solution have also been studied by sandwich membrane method. PVC based membranes of I using tridodecylmethylammonium chloride (TDDMACl) as cation discriminator and o‐nitrophenyloctyl ether (o‐NPOE), dibutylphthalate (DBP), benzylacetate (BA) and tributylphosphate (TBP) as plasticizing solvent mediators were prepared and investigated as benzoate selective sensors. The best performance was shown by the membrane with composition (w/w) of I (5): PVC (150): NPOE (345): TDDMACl (0.3). The proposed sensor exhibits significantly enhanced selectivity toward benzoate ions over the concentration range 2.2×10^−6^–1.0×10^−1^ M with a lower detection limit of 1.4×10^−6^ M and a Nernstian slope of 59.2 mVdecade^−1^ of activity within a pH range of 4.5–8.5. The sensor has a response time of 12 s and can be used for at least 8 weeks without any considerable divergence in their potential response. The membrane sensor of complex I have been checked for reversible and accurate sensing of benzoate levels present in liquid food products.