Bisindolylmaleimides with large Stokes shift and long-lasting chemiluminescence properties.

Various bisindolylmaleimides have fluorescence emission maxima wavelengths longer than 500 nm, large Stokes shifts longer than 200 nm, different fluorescence emission wavelengths at an excitation wavelength of 365 nm, and a long-lasting chemiluminescence. The expansion of the pi-conjugation, the pi-bond electronic structure, and oxidation of the C=C bond at the 2,3-position of the maleimide moiety are crucial for producing these fluorescence and chemiluminescence properties.