Pre-Chemiluminescent biexponential degradation of bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl) oxalate in hydrogen peroxide-acetonitrile

Abstract

The pre-chemiluminescent hydrogen peroxide-bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl) oxalate reaction has been studied in order to understand better its role in peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence. The reaction is shown to be first order in each reactant. An unusual biexponential degradation of the oxalate occurs which suggests that it exists in solution as two conformations that react with hydrogen peroxide at different rates. Inclusion of the fluorophor 9,10-diphenylanthracene does not affect the reaction rate.