Chemiluminescent reductive acridinium triggering (CRAT)—mechanism and applications

Acridinium esters traditionally are triggered using basic hydrogen peroxide. By serendipity, we have found that acridinium esters can also be triggered with emission of chemiluminescence by reductive triggering, e.g., by zinc metal or reduced forms of ferric and cupric salts. Furthermore, organic reducing compounds like dithiothreitol, tricarboxyethylphosphine or glutathione could be used in combination with organic oxidants like quinones or inorganic ferric or cupric salts. Mechanisms are proposed which involve the intermediacy of superoxide. Two forms of reactive oxygen species (i.e., hydrogen peroxide and superoxide) could be discriminated based on differences in kinetics. Some applications (improved detection of acridinium ester, use of acridinium ester as redox probes) are discussed.