Chemiluminescence from the biomimetic reaction of 1,2,4-trioxolanes and 1,2,4,5-tetroxanes with ferrous ions

The 1,2,4-trioxolane and 1,2,4,5-tetroxane pharmacophores are currently considered as the next generation of synthetic antimalarial drugs. This fact has stimulated the exploration of the chemiluminescence displayed by these cyclic peroxides in biomimetic reactions with Fe(II). The CL has been induced by FeSO(4) and/or the FeCl(3)/L-cysteine/Rhodamine G system in aqueous (50%) acetonitrile. The light emission in the visible spectral region has been recorded for triterpenoid-based 1,2, 4-trioxolanes, purely synthetic ozonide OZ03, bicyclic 1,2,4, 5-tetroxanes, a tetroxane derived from deoxycholic acid, the diperoxide of trifluoroacetone, as well as the natural artemisinin. The herein discovered CL provides a promising perspective for the study of pharmacologically active peroxides in biomedical applications.