Abstract
Chemiluminescences of cypridina luciferin in aprotic solvents and the structure necessary for the production of light is 3, 7-dihydroimidazo[1, 2-α]pyrazin-3-one. Chemiluminescence ability of 2-hydroxy-, 3-amino- and 3-hydroxy-imidazo[1, 2-α]pyridine derivatives, 3, 7-dihydroimidazo[1, 2-α]pyrazin-3-one derivatives, and 3-aminoimidazo[1, 2-α]pyrazine derivatives was tested in diglyme and in dimethyl sulfoxide solutions. Chemiluminescence of dihydroimidazopyrazinones is very much stronger than that of 3-hydroxyimidazopyridines and the amino derivatives produce almost no light. In the case of 6-(3-indolyl)-imidazopyrazinone derivatives the light yield is extremely enhanced by the addition of a trace of acetate buffer in the reaction mixture (Table II) ; the chemiluminescence light yiled of Cypridina luciferin(I), which has a 3-indolyl group at 6-position, is 0.06 which is ca. 15% of its bioluminescence light yield.
