Chemiluminescence of 6-aryl-2-methylimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3(7H)-ones in DMSO/TMG and in diglyme/acetate buffer: support for the chemiexcitation process to generate the singlet-excited state of neutral oxyluciferin in a high quantum yield in the Cypridina

The chemiluminescence of 6-aryl-2-methylimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3(7H)-ones (Cypridina luciferin analogues) in DMSO/1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine and in diglyme/acetate buffer was investigated. The results indicate that the reaction mechanism that produces a high chemiluminescence quantum yield involves a chemiexcitation process from a neutral dioxetanone intermediate possessing an electron-donating aryl group (σAr <−0.6) to the singlet-excited state of neutral acetamidopyrazine. This result may be applied to the reaction mechanism for Cypridina (Vargula) bioluminescence.