Generation of electronically excited species during enzymatic oxidation of chlorpromazine and related compound.

Chemiluminescence in visible region was detected, during peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of chlorpromazine at pH7.5 (but not at pH4.25) or of propericiazine, both at pH7.5 and at pH4.25. Red colored intermediates, cation radicals, were produced and decayed in all enzymatic systems used. Chemiluminescence was also detected at pH7.5, but not at pH4.25, when synthesized cation radical of chlorpromazine in water was mixed with concentrated buffer. Protonation of alkyl nitrogen in the cation radical of chlorpromazine was highly related to the appearance of luminescence. Possible mechanisms of the generation of the excited phenothiazine analogs were discussed.