Enhanced Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence of ruthenium and iridium coordination compounds using melatonin

Enhanced Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence (ECL) is observed in a series of iridium and ruthenium systems when melatonin is present in solution. The mechanism involves oxygen scavenging by the products of melatonin electrochemical oxidation, thus preventing oxygen from quenching the ECL excited states.46