Study of the electrochemiluminescence based on tris(2,2′-bipyridine) ruthenium(II) and alcohols in a flow injection system

The luminescence electrooxidation of monohydric alcohols and polyhydric alcohols in tris(2,2'-bipyridine) ruthenium(II) [Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)] alkaline solutions on a glassy carbon electrode has been studied. At a potential of +1.30 V (vs Ag/AgCl), Ru(bpy)(3)(2+) was oxidized to Ru(bpy)(3)(3+). The luminescence wavelength of 608 nm could be found because Ru(bpy)(3)(3+) reacted on alkoxide radical to produce the excited state. Study of the luminescence intensities of monohydric alcohols showed that luminescence intensity decreased as alkyl chain length of the molecules increased. With the increase in the number of hydroxyl groups in a molecule, luminescence intensity increased for polyhydric alcohols. (C) 1998 Academic Press.