1.2- Dioxetanes lucigenin chemiluminescence

Lucigenin (10,10 -dimethyl-9,9 -biacridinium or bis-Af-methylacridinium (38)), in the presence of hydrogen peroxide in alkaline media, exhibits chemiluminescence with a maximum emission wavelength at 445 nm. Lucigenin chemiluminescence was first reported in 1935 by Glen and Petsch, and the 1,2-dioxetane 39 was postulated as a key intermediate. Nevertheless, the mechanism of lucigenin chemiluminescence was only elucidated by McCapra and Richardson, who also proposed the thermal decomposition... 

As early as in the first paper on lucigenin chemiluminescence [1] the dioxetan derivative (1) had been postulated as a key intermediate ... 

Nonetheless, a dioxetan decomposition mechanism for lucigenin chemiluminescence, based on the exergonic processes described in Chap. V, seems well established [3]. A direct demonstration of the intermediacy of this dioxetane was first made [4] in 1969 by treating 10,10 -dimethyl-9,9 -biacrylidene (4) with singlet oxygen from several sources. Emission from N-methyl acridone was unequivocally shown. The lifetime of the intermediate was characteristic of the supposed dioxetane. Intramolecular electron transfer has been suggested as the excitation mechanism in the decomposition of this and other electron-rich dioxetans. 

A number of chemiluminescent reactions may proceed through unstable dioxetane intermediates (12,43). For example, the classical chemiluminescent reactions of lophine [484-47-9] (18), lucigenin [2315-97-7] (20), and transannular peroxide decomposition. Classical chemiluminescence from lophine (18), where R = CgH, is derived from its reaction with oxygen in aqueous alkaline dimethyl sulfoxide or by reaction with hydrogen peroxide and a cooxidant such as sodium hypochlorite or potassium ferricyanide (44). The hydroperoxide (19) has been isolated and independentiy emits light in basic ethanol (45). 

Classical chemiluminescence from lucigenin (20) is obtained from its reaction with hydrogen peroxide in water at a pH of about 10 Qc is reported to be about 0.5% based on lucigenin, but 1.6% based on the product A/-methylacridone which is formed in low yield (46). Lucigenin dioxetane (17) has been prepared by singlet oxygen addition to an electron-rich olefin (16) at low temperature (47). Thermal decomposition of (17) gives of 1.6% (47). 

Me Capra in particular proposed n> that the chemiluminescence reactions of a large number of organic compounds had this concerted dioxetane decomposition step as key reaction in the production of electronically excited products, namely acridinium salts 25,26,27) indolylperoxides 28>, activated oxalic esters 29>, diphenyl carbene 30>, tetrakis-dimethylamino-ethylene 31 32>, lucigenin 33>, and substituted imidazoles 23>. 

The dioxetane derivative 79 may be formed as intermediate in the brilliant chemiluminescence reaction between 10,10 -dimethyl-9,9 -bi-acridylidene and excited-singlet oxygen 125>. Chemiluminescence also occurs when potassium cyanide is added to lucigenin solutions in the... 

Figure 5 Chemiluminescent reaction of lucigenin proceeding via a dioxetane intermediate.

Scheme 28) Quantum yields of lucigenin oxidation by hydrogen peroxide in alkaline media are comparable with the values obtained in luminol oxidation (1.24 x 10 E mol ) ° . However, the use of other peroxides, such as tcrt-butyl hydroperoxide, results in a decrease of chemiluminescence quantum yields of two orders of magnitude, confuming the hypothesis that a 1,2-dioxetane is the HEI, since its formation would be impossible with alkyl peroxides . 

Legg and Hercules have shown that the reaction of superoxide with lucigenin results in chemiluminescence. A similar conclusion was reached by Fridovich and coworkers, who observed chemiluminescence upon the addition of lucigenin to the xanthine-xanthine oxidase system, which is known to produce 02 . In order to emit chemiluminescence, lucigenin must first be reduced by one electron to produce the radical cation 43 (Scheme 30). This species reacts with superoxide ion, producing the intermediate 1,2-dioxetane, whose decomposition is responsible for luminescence. ... 

The bisacridinium salt 41 (lucigenin), on oxidation with an alkaline H2O2 solution, displays an intensely green chemiluminescence. The light emission is due to the excited state of A-methylacridone 43, formed by an electrocyclic ring opening of the initially formed dioxetane 42 (see p 47) ... 

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