Compounds superoxides

The relevant properties of peroxide and superoxide salts are given in Table 4 (see Peroxides and peroxide compounds, inorganic). Potassium peroxide is difficult to prepare and lithium superoxide is very unstable. The ozonides, MO3, of the alkah metals contain a very high percentage of oxygen, but are only stable below room temperature (see Ozone). 

Peroxides, superoxides, and chlorates are oxidising compounds and should not contact organic materials, eg, oil, greases, etc. This is especially tme while oxygen is being produced. Caustic residues that may remain after use of peroxides and superoxides require disposal appropriate to alkaH metal hydroxides. Spent candles containing barium may require special disposal considerations. 

Dusts associated with these oxidising compounds produce caustic irritation of skin, eyes, and nasal membranes. Appropriate protection should be worn when handling. Skin contact should be treated as for any caustic material, ie, flush with water and neutralize. Toxicity is low to moderate and is the same as for the hydroxides. Toxicity of the chlorate is greater than for the peroxides and superoxides, and the chlorate material also causes local irritation. 

AH of the commercial inorganic peroxo compounds except hydrogen peroxide are described herein, as are those commercial organic oxidation reactions that are beheved to proceed via inorganic peroxo intermediates. Ozonides and superoxides are also included, but not the dioxygen complexes of the transition metals. 

Two classes of antioxidants are known the low-molecular weight compounds (tocopherols, ascorbate, -carotene, glutathione, uric acid and etc.) and the proteins (albumin, transferrin, caeruloplasmin, ferritin, etc.) including antioxidant enzymes (e.g. superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase). 

The rhodium(II) compound is a diamagnetic dimer with oxygen it forms a paramagnetic monomeric 02 adduct, probably a superoxide complex represented as (porph)Rh3+02. 

The third period is characterized by the extensive studies, both in the USSR and abroad, of the structure, properties, and bond characteristics of peroxide compounds. This period includes the work of Kazamovskii and his coworkers concerning the structure of a series of peroxide compounds, his discovery of sodium superoxide, and the fundamental investigations carried out by the Canadian scientist Otto Maas and his co-workers concerning concentrated hydrogen peroxide. . . ... 

Few kinetic studies of the decompositions of higher oxides have been reported one probable reason is that the preparation of pure samples of these highly reactive compounds is difficult. Accordingly, interest has been largely restricted to the most readily available substances which are the alkali and alkaline earth peroxides (02-), superoxides (02) and ozonides (03). Some of these may be hydrated. E values reported [656] for the dehydrations of M02 8 H20 (288—313 K) were 96, 163 and 63 kJ mole-1 for the Ca, Sr and Ba compounds, respectively. 

The oxidation number of oxygen is —2 in most of its compounds. Exceptions are its compounds with fluorine (in which case, the previous statement takes precedence) and its occurrence as peroxides (022-), superoxides (02 ), and ozonides (03 ). 

The carbon dioxide generated by the personnel in the artificial atmosphere of submarines and spacecraft must be removed from the air and the oxygen recovered. Submarine design teams have investigated the use of potassium superoxide, K02, as an air purifier because this compound reacts with carbon dioxide and releases oxygen (Fig. 4.16) ... 

The principal product of the reaction of the alkali metals with oxygen varies systematically down the group (Fig. 14.15). Ionic compounds formed from cations and anions of similar radius are commonly found to he more stable than those formed from ions with markedly different radii. Such is the case here. Lithium forms mainly the oxide, Li20. Sodium, which has a larger cation, forms predominantly the very pale yellow sodium peroxide, Na202. Potassium, with an even bigger cation, forms mainly the superoxide, K02, which contains the superoxide ion, O,. ... 

Underneath this layer of superoxide a layer of oxide KgO is formed. The interaction between potassium and its superoxide is violent and causes the metal to combust the intermediate layer acts as a protection. Contact between both compounds happens when the metal is cut. This slow oxidation is avoided by keeping potassium under anhydrous xylene. It is possible that many dangerous reactions may be in fact due to the exceptional reactivity of the superoxide. 

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