SEARCH FOR CHEMILUMINESCENCE FROM TERT-BUTYL 9-FLUORENYL PEROXIDE AND9-FLUORENYL HYDROPEROXIDE

Thermolysis of solutions of 9-fluorenyl tert-butyl peroxide (BOOF; dec alin, 137-162 degrees C, log k/s = 14.28 +/- 0.02 - (144.2 +/- 2 kJ)/t heta) or 9-fluorenyl hydroperoxide (FOOH; benzonitrile, 152 degrees C) did not give detectable chemiluminescence. In contrast, the induced d ecomposition of 9-fluorenyI hydroperoxide with tert-butoxyl radicals a t room temperature was highly chemiluminescent. The different behavior was ascribed to the decreased fluorescence of 9-fluorenone at elevate d temperatures. Solutions of tert-butyl diphenylmethyl peroxide (152 d egrees C) were weakly chemiluminescent in the presence of a fluorescen ce sensitizer. The photolysis and base-induced decompositions of BOOF were studied. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.