Connecting Ruthenium Photocatalysis to 1,2-Dioxetane-Mediated Chemiluminescence: a Versatile Combination for Optical Detection and Read-Out

Optical storage and photon quantification systems based on sensitive photoreactions have numerous applications. Herein, we report a highly efficient photocatalytic reaction, in which ruthenium photoredox catalysis is combined with a 1,2-dioxetane from which chemiluminescence can be triggered. In this system, blue light irradiation as optical input enables a defined inverse correlation with base-triggered, blue light emission as optical output. Comparison of readout by 1 H NMR and chemiluminescence, relative to previous optical input, underlines the reliability and usefulness of the ruthenium-dioxetane system for optical storage, sensing and ruthenium detection.

Dioxetane Derivative Containing Carboxy Group as a Chemiluminophore-Introducing Reagent

Some types of dioxetanes are called chemiluminophores because they produce luminescence light without the use of enzymes. Here, we designed and synthesized a novel carboxy group-containing chemiluminophore derivative, which enabled the simple introduction of such a chemiluminophore to the molecule of interest. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the in vivo imaging system (IVIS imaging system) can recognize tagged chemicals, indicating that such a chemiluminophore could be employed as a tracer molecule for biological studies.

Mechanism and color modulation of fungal bioluminescence

Bioluminescent fungi are spread throughout the globe, but details on their mechanism of light emission are still scarce. Usually, the process involves three key components: an oxidizable luciferin substrate, a luciferase enzyme, and a light emitter, typically oxidized luciferin, and called oxyluciferin. We report the structure of fungal oxyluciferin, investigate the mechanism of fungal bioluminescence, and describe the use of simple synthetic α-pyrones as luciferins to produce multicolor enzymatic chemiluminescence. A high-energy endoperoxide is proposed as an intermediate of the oxidation of the native luciferin to the oxyluciferin, which is a pyruvic acid adduct of caffeic acid. Luciferase promiscuity allows the use of simple α-pyrones as chemiluminescent substrates.