MECHANISM OF ELECTROGENERATED LUMINESCENCE OF TERBIUM(III)-(2,6-BIS [N,N-BIS(CARBOXYMETHYL)AMINOMETHYL]-4-BENZOYLPHENOL) CHELATE AT AN OXIDE-COVERED ALUMINUM ELECTRODE

Generation of hydrated electrons at an oxide-covered aluminium electrode during its cathodic pulse-polarization in an aqueous electrolyte may well be the primary step of the electrogenerated luminescence of aromatic Tb(III) chelates. In the presence of appropriate precursors, hydrated electrons produce secondary oxidizing radicals, thus resulting in an energetic electrode/electrolyte interface which initiates the radiative D-5(4)-->F-7(j) transitions of chelated terbium(III); the aromatic moiety of a Tb(III) chelate is excited by its consecutive interactions with hydrated electron and the secondary oxidizing radical followed by an intramolecular transfer of this excitation energy to the D-5(4) level of coordinated terbium(III).