Two amphiphilic bis-amide tetradenate ligands based on 8-aminoquinoline, N,N'-bis(8-quinolinyl)alkylpropanediamide (H(2)A)/alkyl:dodecyl (H(2)A(12)) and hexadecyl (H(2)A(16))], were synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) H-1-Nuclear magnetic resonance (H-1 NMR), and Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. H(2)A can form stable monolayers. The interactions between the H(2)A monolayer and. metal ions such as the main. group of metallic ions (Mg2+, Ca2+, pb(2+)) and transitional metallic ions (Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+ Cu2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Hg2+, and La3+) were investigated. Only the Ca2+ ion has special coordination with H(2)A monolayers. This coordination has been clearly proved by means of the π-A isotherms, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The selective copper binder of the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film of H(2)A may be developed as a sensor of copper ion. H(2)A(16) LB film can. detect the concentration. of Cu(II) ion in the region of 1.0 x 1.0(-7) ∼ 1.0 x 10(-6) mol dm(-3).