Chemiluminescence Involving Acidic and Ambident Ion Light Emitters. The Chemiluminescence of the 9-Acridinepercarboxylate Anion

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja00251a024

The reaction of phenyl 9-acridinecarboxylate (1) with an excess of peroxide ion in THF/water (67/33 mol percent) leads to the emission of either bright yellow-green light or bright blue light, depending on the reaction conditions.The blue emission is favored by high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and water, for example. 9-Acridinepercarboxylic acid is a common intermediate in the reactions.The light emitter responsible for the blue chemiluminescence is acridone, whereas that responsible for the yellow-green chemiluminescence is the anion of acridone.The effects of base concentration and solvent composition on the relative proportions of these two emitters have produced evidence that, contrary to the expectation of simple theory, a dioxetanone is not an intermediate in the reaction.Other cases where chemiluminescence may involve percarboxylate and peroxide ions are discussed.