Electrochemiluminescence behaviour of some aromatic systems

Abstract

An investigation of the intensity of electrochemiluminescence emission from a number of aromatic compounds in acetonitrile–tetrabutylammonium perchlorate solution as a function of the electrolysis voltage and frequency is reported. The emission intensity is dependent on both the magnitude and frequency of the applied electrolysis voltage, and, for the compounds examined, exhibits a maximum at a frequency which varies for different compounds. It is also found that water added to the solutions quenches the emission at electrolysis frequencies above 10 Hz, but has relatively little effect at low frequencies. The spectra recorded are found to be consistent with the view that the emissions are predominantly from the first excited singlet state of the sample compound.