Production of singlet oxygen by the reaction of non-basic hydrogen peroxide with chlorine gas

• Published in: Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP Vol. 14; no. 38; pp. 13344 - 13349
• Main Authors: Tian, Wenming, Shi, Wenbo, Yang, Heping, Cui, Rongrong, Deng, Liezheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Royal Society of Chemistry 14.10.2012
• Subjects: Absorbents; Aqueous solutions; Chemistry; Chlorine; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Excitation; General and physical chemistry; Hydrogen peroxide; Physical chemistry; Singlet oxygen; Oxygen; Electronic structure; Hydrogen peroxide; Chlorine; Aqueous solution; Base; Excited state
• ISSN: 1463-9076; 1463-9084
• DOI: 10.1039/c2cp41690e

Non-basic hydrogen peroxide was found to be very easy to react with Cl(2) to produce singlet oxygen O(2)(a(1)Δ(g)) (i.e. the molecular oxygen in its first electronic excited state) when an H(+) absorbent such as C(5)H(5)N, CH(3)COONH(4), HCOONH(4) or NH(4)F was added into H(2)O(2) aqueous solution, and the long concealed fact that molecular H(2)O(2) can react with Cl(2) to produce O(2)(a(1)Δ(g)) was then uncovered. It is only when an H(+) absorbent has provided a stronger base than H(2)O to absorb the H(+) produced during the reaction that O(2)(a(1)Δ(g)) can be produced.