compounds which generate red chemiluminescence on reaction with a phosphatase enzyme are provided as well as intermediates useful for their preparation . the chemiluminescent compounds comprise a luciferin ring system and an exocyclic enol phosphate group where the position on the luciferin ring system adjacent to the double bond is disubstituted . the chemiluminescent compounds are useful alone or within compositions containing a cationic aromatic compound in methods for producing chemiluminescence . the chemiluminescent reactions can be applied in assays for phosphatase enzymes and in assays employing enzyme - labeled specific binding pairs .