Viscosity effects on the chemiluminescence emission of 1,2-dioxetanes in water

Abstract

Chemiluminescence emission from 1,2-dioxetanes offers a versatile framework for molecular imaging in cells and animals. Here, we observe an increase in chemiluminescence emission intensity with increasing solvent viscosity in aqueous systems, and interpret these observations within the context of chemically initiated electron exchange luminescence (CIEEL), concerted charge transfer induced luminescence (CTIL), and gradually reversible charge transfer induced luminescence (GR-CTIL) mechanisms.