A method of forming a 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine mediator or a 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator, the method comprising the acts of: providing a first reactant including phenothiazine or a phenoxazine; providing a first solvent in which the phenothiazine or the phenoxazine has a solubility therein; providing a second reactant to assist in forming the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine mediator or the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator; providing a second solvent in which the second reactant has a solubility therein; combining the first reactant, first solvent, second reactant and second solvent to form a reactants solution; adding sodium persulfate to the reactants solution to couple the first and second reactants resulting in a reaction solution including the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine mediator or the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator; and after adding the sodium persulfate, further processing to the reaction solution including the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine mediator or the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator so as to isolate the mediator comprising the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine mediator or the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator, wherein the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine mediator has the formula wherein the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator has the formula and wherein R 1, R 2, R 3, R 4, R 5, R 6, R 7, R 8, and R 9 are the same or different and are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, cyclic, heterocyclic, halo, haloalkyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, aromatic keto, aliphatic keto, alkoxy, aryloxy, nitro, dialkylamino, aminoalkyl, sulfo, dihydroxyboron, and combinations thereof. providing a first reactant including phenothiazine or a phenoxazine; providing a first solvent in which the phenothiazine or the phenoxazine has a solubility therein; providing a second reactant to assist in forming the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine mediator or the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator; providing a second solvent in which the second reactant has a solubility therein; combining the first reactant, first solvent, second reactant and second solvent to form a reactants solution; adding sodium persulfate to the reactants solution to couple the first and second reactants resulting in a reaction solution including the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine mediator or the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator; and after adding the sodium persulfate, further processing to the reaction solution including the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine mediator or the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator so as to isolate the mediator comprising the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine mediator or the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator, wherein the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenothiazine mediator has the formula wherein the 3-phenylimino-3H-phenoxazine mediator has the formula and wherein R 1, R 2, R 3, R 4, R 5, R 6, R 7, R 8, and R 9 are the same or different and are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, heteroaryl, cyclic, heterocyclic, halo, haloalkyl, carboxy, carboxyalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl, aromatic keto, aliphatic keto, alkoxy, aryloxy, nitro, dialkylamino, aminoalkyl, sulfo, dihydroxyboron, and combinations thereof.