8-benzyl-2-hydroperoxy-2-(4-hydroxy-benzyl)-6-(4-hydroxy-phenyl)-2h-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-one

8-benzyl-2-hydroperoxy-2-(4-hydroxy-benzyl)-6-(4-hydroxy-phenyl)-2h-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-one is a synthetic derivative of coelenterazine, a luciferin analog. It features an imidazopyrazinone core substituted with benzyl and hydroperoxy groups as well as two para-hydroxybenzene moieties. This compound is structurally related to I-coelenterazine, which is used in bioluminescence research as a substrate for certain luciferases and photoproteins. Upon enzymatic oxidation (typically by luciferase), it emits light—a property exploited in bioassays and imaging applications. Its mechanism of action involves acting as a chemiluminescent substrate that undergoes oxidative decarboxylation to produce photons.

Other names

I-coelenterazine