Chemiluminescence of phthalhydrazide derivatives in organized media: Interactions with surfactants and cyclodextrins

The chemiluminescent oxidation of some phthalhydrazide derivatives, luminol (LUM), isoluminol (ISOL), N-(4-aminobutyl)-N-ethylisoluminol (ABEI) and N-(6-aminohexyl)-N-ethylisoluminol (AHEI), has been carried out in micellar media and in the presence of natural cyclodextrins (CDs), using Co(II) as catalyst and H2O2 as oxidant. The cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and, in a lesser extent, the anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) produce quenching in the chemiluminescence (CL) of all the luminophores at concentrations above the cmc, whereas slight enhancements are attained with the non-ionic pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C12E5). On the contrary, the incorporation of the CDs to the reaction produces a remarkable intensification of the CL. Binding of the luminophores to the macrocycles and the micelles has been studied by Pulsed-Gradient-Spin-Echo-NMR (PGSE-NMR) and fluorescence anisotropy. The cationic CTAB decreases the emission mainly due to charge compensation as a result of the association of the luminophores and the luminescent intermediates to the micelles. The presence of the alkyl substituents of ABEI and AHEI provides an additional hydrophobic contribution to the binding process. SDS quenches this reaction as the micelles retain Co(II) on their anionic layer. The protection and stabilization of these luminophores or their luminescent intermediates provided by the cavities of the CDs make this family of cyclic oligosaccharides much more suitable agents than the surfactants for enhancing the CL in aqueous media for this specific reaction.