Recent developments (1994 to early 1999) in coordination chemistry as they
relate to luminescence-based chemical sensing are reviewed. Included are de
velopments involving assemblies for luminescence-based sensing of metal cat
ions, organic and inorganic anions, small neutral molecules in solution, an
d various volatile organic chemicals. Emphasized in the review are: (a) the
chemical features that permit the sensors to function selectively, and (b)
the mechanistic schemes that permit analyte recognition and binding events
to be converted to luminescence responses. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A.
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