Peroxide Decompositions, I except Dioxetans

The great majority of chemiluminescent reactions in solution require molecular oxygen. It is to be expected that peroxides are almost universal intermediates. Study of the luminescent reactions of peroxides of known structure is clearly an important part of the investigation. 

The mechanisms fall into two broad classes. In the first there are structural features which predispose the reaction towards the formation of excited states. Two important divisions of this class are represented by peroxides undergoing reaction by chemically initiated electron exchange luminescence (CIEEL) (p. 34) and the dioxetans. However, many of the luminescent reactions of peroxides are not dependent on a unique structure for the peroxide and the exact mechanism of excitation can be as difficult to elucidate as in the cases where the peroxides are not isolated. Dioxetans are a special case and are dealt with in detail in Chap. V. 

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