Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Bioluminescence Imaging of an Immunocompetent Animal Model for Glioblastoma
Published on: January 15, 2016
Chemi- and Bioluminescence of Cyclic Peroxides
Morgane Vacher1, Ignacio Fdez Galván1, Bo-Wen Ding2
1Department of Chemistry-Ångström , Uppsala University , P.O. Box 538, SE-751 21 Uppsala , Sweden.
Abstract:
Bioluminescence is a phenomenon that has fascinated mankind for centuries. Today the phenomenon and its sibling, chemiluminescence, have impacted society with a number of useful applications in fields like analytical chemistry and medicine, just to mention two. In this review, a molecular-orbital perspective is adopted to explain the chemistry behind chemiexcitation in both chemi- and bioluminescence. First, the uncatalyzed thermal dissociation of 1,2-dioxetane is presented and analyzed to explain, for example, the preference for triplet excited product states and increased yield with larger nonreactive substituents. The catalyzed fragmentation reaction and related details are then exemplified with substituted 1,2-dioxetanone species. In particular, the preference for singlet excited product states in that case is explained. The review also examines the diversity of specific solutions both in Nature and in artificial systems and the difficulties in identifying the emitting species and unraveling the color modulation process. The related subject of excited-state chemistry without light absorption is finally discussed. The content of this review should be an inspiration to human design of new molecular systems expressing unique light-emitting properties. An appendix describing the state-of-the-art experimental and theoretical methods used to study the phenomena serves as a complement.
Related Concept Videos
Stereoisomerism of Cyclic Compounds
Autoxidation of Ethers to Peroxides and Hydroperoxides
Regioselectivity of Electrophilic Additions-Peroxide Effect
Voltammetric Techniques: Cyclic Voltammetry
Cyclic Processes And Isolated Systems
In the case of a non-isolated system, the change in the internal energy is zero only if the process is cyclic. A thermodynamic process is considered cyclic if the system undergoes a series of changes and returns to its initial state.
Consider a cyclic process that returns to its initial state, undergoing a four-step process. The heat transfer along each...
Diels–Alder Reaction Forming Cyclic Products: Stereochemistry

