Electron transfer chemiluminescence

R. Bezman and L. R. Faulkner 189> developed methods for defining a concise set of parameters which quantitatively describe the efficiencies of chemiluminescent electron-transfer reactions (see Section VIII. A.) by means of analysis of chemiluminescence decay curves. 

In a series of papers between 1956 and 1965, Marcus solved much of the mystery by outlining a description of the probability of fluctuations in the geometry of reactants and their solvents. These fluctuations lead to changes in the energy barriers that the reactants must surmount before an electron can be transferred from one molecule to another. Marcus extended the theory to other systems, such as electrochemical rate constants at electrodes, and to chemiluminescent electron transfer reactions. The by-now famous inverted effect is a consequence of his theory after a certain point, adding more energy to an electron transfer reaction actually slows the process. Scientists believe photosynthesis can occur because of the inverted effect. 

The title paper was enormously important by itself, but in addition it was the first step (and the cornerstone) in a long series of papers on electron-transfer reactions which were published by Marcus from 1956 to 1965. During those years he extended [3, 4] the theory to include, for instance, intramolecular vibrational effects, numerically calculated rates of self-exchange and cross reactions, electrochemical electron-transfer reactions (i.e. including electrodes), chemiluminescent electron transfers, the relation between nonequilibrium and... 

Bezman R, Faulkner LR (1972) Mechanisms of chemiluminescent electron-transfer reactions. VI. Absolute measurements of luminescence from the fluoranthene-10-methylphenothiazine system in N, N-dimethylformamide. J Am Chem Soc 94(18) 6331-6337... 

Faulkner LR, Freed DJ (1971) Mechanisms of chemiluminescent electron-transfer reactions. 1. Role of the triplet state in energy-deficient systems. J Am Chem Soc 93(9) 2097-2102... 

The task of the mediator is to absorb light and to make light energy available as chemical energy for the electron transfer process. Such mediators are usually called photosensitizers. We prefer to call them light absorption sensitizers (LAS) [36] to underline their role and to use a parallel expression in the case of the mediators of chemiluminescent electron transfer processes (vide infra). 

The mechanism of chemiluminescence is still being studied and most mechanistic interpretations should be regarded as tentative. Nevertheless, most chemiluminescent reactions can be classified into (/) peroxide decomposition, including biolurninescence and peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence (2) singlet oxygen chemiluminescence and (J) ion radical or electron-transfer chemiluminescence, which includes electrochemiluminescence. 

Subsequent studies (63,64) suggested that the nature of the chemical activation process was a one-electron oxidation of the fluorescer by (27) followed by decomposition of the dioxetanedione radical anion to a carbon dioxide radical anion. Back electron transfer to the radical cation of the fluorescer produced the excited state which emitted the luminescence characteristic of the fluorescent state of the emitter. The chemical activation mechanism was patterned after the CIEEL mechanism proposed for dioxetanones and dioxetanes discussed earher (65). Additional support for the CIEEL mechanism, was furnished by demonstration (66) that a linear correlation existed between the singlet excitation energy of the fluorescer and the chemiluminescence intensity which had been shown earher with dimethyl dioxetanone (67). 

Peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence is the most efficient nonenzymatic chemiluminescent reaction known. Quantum efficiencies as high as 22—27% have been reported for oxalate esters prepared from 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and 3-trif1uoromethy1-4-nitropheno1 (6,76,77) with the duorescers mbrene [517-51-1] (78,79) or 5,12-bis(phenylethynyl)naphthacene [18826-29-4] (79). For most reactions, however, a quantum efficiency of 4% or less is more common with many in the range of lO " to 10 ein/mol (80). The inefficiency in the chemiexcitation process undoubtedly arises from the transfer of energy of the activated peroxyoxalate to the duorescer. The inefficiency in the CIEEL sequence derives from multiple side reactions available to the reactive intermediates in competition with the excited state producing back-electron transfer process. 

Decomposition of diphenoylperoxide [6109-04-2] (40) in the presence of a fluorescer such as perylene in methylene chloride at 24°C produces chemiluminescence matching the fluorescence spectmm of the fluorescer with perylene was reported to be 10 5% (135). The reaction follows pseudo-first-order kinetics with the observed rate constant increasing with fluorescer concentration according to = k [flr]. Thus the fluorescer acts as a catalyst for peroxide decomposition, with catalytic decomposition competing with spontaneous thermal decomposition. An electron-transfer mechanism has been proposed (135). 

Examples include luminescence from anthracene crystals subjected to alternating electric current (159), luminescence from electron recombination with the carbazole free radical produced by photolysis of potassium carba2ole in a fro2en glass matrix (160), reactions of free radicals with solvated electrons (155), and reduction of mtheiiium(III)tris(bipyridyl) with the hydrated electron (161). Other examples include the oxidation of aromatic radical anions with such oxidants as chlorine or ben2oyl peroxide (162,163), and the reduction of 9,10-dichloro-9,10-diphenyl-9,10-dihydroanthracene with the 9,10-diphenylanthracene radical anion (162,164). Many other examples of electron-transfer chemiluminescence have been reported (156,165). 

Intense sodium D-line emission results from excited sodium atoms produced in a highly exothermic step (175). Many gas-phase reactions of the alkafl metals are chemiluminescent, in part because their low ioni2ation potentials favor electron transfer to produce intermediate charge-transfer complexes such as [Ck Na 2] (1 )- There appears to be an analogy with solution-phase electron-transfer chemiluminescence in such reactions. 

Chain processes, free radical, in aliphatic systems involving an electron transfer reaction, 23,271 Charge density-NMR chemical shift correlation in organic ions, 11,125 Chemically induced dynamic nuclear spin polarization and its applications, 10, 53 Chemiluminescence of organic compounds, 18,187... 

Special review articles published since 1968 on these topics are one by E. H. White and D. F. Roswell 2> on hydrazide chemiluminescence M. M. Rauhut 3) on the chemiluminescence of concerted peroxide-decomposition reactions and D. M. Hercules 4 5> on chemiluminescence from electron-transfer reactions. The rapid development in these special fields justifies a further attempt to depict the current status. Results of bioluminescence research will not be included in this article except for a few special cases, e.g. enzyme-catalyzed chemiluminescence of luminol, and firefly bioluminescence 6>. 

Chemiluminescence is defined as the production of light by chemical reactions. This light is cold , which means that it is not caused by vibrations of atoms and/or molecules involved in the reaction but by direct transformation of chemical into electronic energy. For earlier discussions of this problem, see 7 9h Recent approaches towards a general theory of chemiluminescence are based on the relatively simple electron-transfer reactions occurring in aromatic radical-ion chemiluminescence reactions 10> and on considerations of molecular orbital symmetry as applied to 1.2-dioxetane derivatives, which very probably play a key role in a large number of organic chemiluminescence reactions 11>. 

R. A. Marcus for simple electron-transfer reactions 10> which, in appropriate modification, appears to be theoretically valid for more complex chemiluminescence reactions, too (e.g. 13>. 

In complex organic molecules calculations of the geometry of excited states and hence predictions of chemiluminescent reactions are very difficult however, as is well known, in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons there are relatively small differences in the configurations of the ground state and the excited state. Moreover, the chemiluminescence produced by the reaction of aromatic hydrocarbon radical anions and radical cations is due to simple one-electron transfer reactions, especially in cases where both radical ions are derived from the same aromatic hydrocarbon, as in the reaction between 9.10-diphenyl anthracene radical cation and anion. More complex are radical ion chemiluminescence reactions involving radical ions of different parent compounds, such as the couple naphthalene radical anion/Wurster s blue (see Section VIII. B.). 

The importance of radical ions and electron-transfer reactions has been pointed out in the preceding sections (see also p. 128). Thus, in linear hydrazide chemiluminescence (p. 103) or acridine aldehyde or ketone chemiluminescence, the excitation steps consist in an electron transfer from a donor of appropriate reduction potential to an acceptor in such a way that the electron first occupies the lowest antibonding orbital, as in the reaction of 9-anthranoyl peroxide 96 with naphthalene radical anion 97 142> ... 

The simplest systems where electron-transfer chemiluminescence occurs on interaction of radical ions are radical-anion and radical-cation recombination reactions in which the radical ions are produced from the same aromatic hydrocarbon (see D, p. 128) by electrolysis this type of chemiluminescence is also called electro-chemiluminescence. The systems consisting of e.g. a radical anion of an aromatic hydrocarbon and some other electron acceptor such as Wurster s red are more complicated. Recent investigations have concentrated mainly on the energetic requirements for light production and on the primary excited species. 

In electrogenerated chemiluminescence, light emission occurs not on the electrode surface but in the solution. Oxygen has to be excluded 5>. In the usual form a one-electrode technique is applied the potential of the electrode is changed periodically. At cathodic potential the radical anion is produced, at anodic potential the radical cation. These two radical ions react in the diffusion layer near the electrode surface the electron transfer from the radical anion to the radical cation causes the light emission 5>2°). 

If chemiluminescence is to occur, a critical electron-transfer enthalpy value must be exceeded. This value is similar to the energy of the lowest excited triplet state, as was found in the case of fluoranthene 150>, for example. 

A general theory of the aromatic hydrocarbon radical cation and anion annihilation reactions has been forwarded by G. J. Hoytink 210> which in particular deals with a resonance or a non-resonance electron transfer mechanism leading to excited singlet or triplet states. The radical ion chemiluminescence reactions of naphthalene, anthracene, and tetracene are used as examples. 

The most simple case of a electron-transfer chemiluminescence has been realized recently by the reaction of hydrated electrons with tri-(bipyridyl)ruthenium(III) (J. E. Martin, E. J. Hart, A. W. Adamson, H. Gafney, and J. Halpern 212>) ... 

A.J. Bard, University of Texas The fact that one can generate chemiluminescence in polymer films containing Ru-(bpy)3 2 implies that the excited state may not be quenched completely by electron transfer reactions. Are the photoreactions you describe thermodynamically uphill (i.e., with chemical storage or radiant energy) or are they photocatalytic ... 

Electrochemiluminescence Emission occurring in solution, from an electronically excited state produced by high-energy electron transfer reactions Electrogenerated chemiluminescence Emission produced at an electrode surface Oxyluminescence Emission from polymers caused by oxidative processes (presence of oxygen is required)... 

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) is the process whereby a chemiluminescence emission is produced directly, or indirectly, as a result of electrochemical reactions. It is also commonly known as electrochemiluminescence and electroluminescence. In general, electrically generated reactants diffuse from one or more electrodes, and undergo high-energy electron transfer reactions either with one another or with chemicals in the bulk solution. This process yields excited-state molecules, which produce a chemiluminescent emission in the vicinity of the electrode surface. 

Much of the study of ECL reactions has centered on two areas electron transfer reactions between certain transition metal complexes, and radical ion-annihilation reactions between polyaromatic hydrocarbons. ECL also encompasses the electrochemical generation of conventional chemiluminescence (CL) reactions, such as the electrochemical oxidation of luminol. Cathodic luminescence from oxide-covered valve metal electrodes is also termed ECL in the literature, and has found applications in analytical chemistry. Hence this type of ECL will also be covered here. 

The source of chemiluminescence in the oxidation of luminol was explored by Merenyi and co-workers in detail (153). The oxidation of luminol yields aminophthalate as a final product and the reaction proceeds via a series of electron transfer steps. The primary oxidation product is the luminol radical which is transformed into either diazaquinone or the a-hydroxide-hydroperoxide intermediate (a-HHP). The latter oxidation step occurs between the deprotonated form of the luminol radical and O -. The chemiluminescence is due to the decomposition of the mono-anionic form of a-HHP into the final products ... 

Diacyl peroxides are, however, also electron transfer oxidants, which according to a theoretical analysis should possess standard potentials, °[(ArCOO)2/RCOO RCOO ) of around 0.6 V in water, provided that the electron transfer process is of the dissociative type (50) (Eberson, 1982c). Such a value brings thermal ET steps involving DBPO within reach for redox-active organic molecules, as for example suggested by the so-called CIEEL mechanism of chemiluminescence (Schuster, 1982). 

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