Chemiluminescence characteristics of N-(4-substituted benzyl)isoluminol.

We synthesized N-(4-substituted benzyl)isoluminol which has 4-bromo-, 4-methyl-, 4-methoxy-, 4-nitrogroups. These compounds produced chemiluminescence by the reaction with the oxidizing agent, potassium hexacyanoferrate and hydrogen peroxide, in an alkaline medium. The chemiluminescence intensities of these compounds were 0.03-4.7 times that of isoluminol. We used Hamett substituent constants as a parameter for the electronic substituent effects. The relationship between the amino-H chemical shift value and the Hamett substituent constants showed a good linear correlation. The relationship between the chemiluminescence intensities and the Hamett substituent constants showed a good linear correlation. The relationship between the fluorescence intensities and the Hamett substituent constants also showed a good linear correlation. These results suggest that the change in the electron density around the amino group strongly influences the fluorescence intensities and corresponding chemiluminescence intensities of these derivatives.