Generation of bio-electronic energy by electron transfer: Reduction of peroxidase compound I and compound II by eosine

Abstract The spontaneous reduction of peroxidase Compound I is accompanied by a very weak emission which is greatly magnified by eosine. A further, dramatic enhancement is observed in the presence of certain tertiary aliphatic diamines. The chemiluminescence spectrum corresponds to eosine fluorescence. This is the first case of significant formation of electronically excited states by electron transfer in a biochemical system.