Chemiluminescence Sensing of Fluoride Ions Using a Self-Immolative Amplifier

An enhanced chemiluminescence signal is obtained when electronically triggered dioxetane cleavage is initiated by fluoride-mediated deprotection of the silyl-protecting group, followed by self-immolation via 1,4-quinone-methide rearrangement. The reaction takes place even when the probe is trapped within a PMMA layer on top of a glass plate. In that arrangement, fluoride in aqueous solutions can be detected selectively at low micromolar concentrations.