THE NATURE OF THE EMITTERS IN EU(II) (III)-CORONAND-H2O2 CHEMILUMINESCENT SYSTEMS/

The kinetics and chemiluminescent (CL) spectral properties of the syst ems, Eu(II)/(III)-H2O2 and Eu(II)/(III)-coronand-H2O2 were investigate d. In the former the dominant emitters were found to be excited Eu(III ) ions. Although emission both from Eu(III) and dimers of singlet oxyg en were recorded. Introduction of a macrocycle caused an increase in t he luminescence of the system. The intensity and shape of the decay as well as the spectral distribution of the chemiluminescence were found to depend on the number of nitrogen atoms in the ring of the macrocyc le and the size match between the cavity of the macrocycle and the eur opium ion. Our interpretation of the results suggests that radical rea ctions play a dominant role in these systems. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scienc e B.V. All rights reserved.