Sodium superoxide

Submitted bt Stephen E. Stephanou, Edgar J. Seyb, Jr., and Jacob JSleinberg  

The rapid oxidation of sodium in liquid ammonia1 under carefully controlled conditions yields a material of the empirical formula NaOx.67, which corresponds to a mixture of 4 mols of sodium superoxide with 1 mol of sodium peroxide. A more practicable method for preparing sodium superoxide, and one which results in a product of relatively high purity, involves the direct combination of sodium peroxide and oxygen at elevated temperatures and pressures.2 

The apparatus employed (Fig. 9) consists of a stainless-steel bomb A of about 180 ml. capacity equipped with such an arrangement of needle valves that the system can be completely evacuated or filled with oxygen under pres- 

A weighed sample, approximately 10 g., of sodium peroxide (0.13 mol.) is placed inside a pyrex containert which fits snugly into the bomb, and the system is evacuated to 1 to 3 mm. pressure for several hours. Oxygen from a cylinder is added slowly through valve F until a pressure of 

To avoid decomposition due to exposure to atmospheric moisture, both starting material and product are handled in a dry box containing phosphorus (V) oxide. 

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Superoxides are used in breathing appHcations requiring no auxHiary source of oxygen. Sodium superoxide is ca 10 times as expensive as potassium superoxide because high temperature, high pressure autoclaves are required for its production. Use of calcium superoxide is experimental. Potassium superoxide is the most commonly used superoxide oxygen generator. 

Exploratory Study of Potassium and Sodium Superoxides forOuygen Control in Manned Space Vehicles, Contract No. NASW-90, MSA Research Corp., Evans City, Pa., Mar. 1962. 

Sodium superoxide [12034-12-7] Na02, is a yellow soHd, thermochemicaHy unstable at ambient conditions with respect to the foUowiag reaction ... 

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. . . ... 

L. Andrews, Infrared spectra and bonding in the sodium superoxide and sodium peroxide molecules. J. Phys. Chem. 73, 3922-3928 (1969). 

Sodium superoxide, NaO . is a yellow solid, No applications are known. 

Sodium superoxide, see Sodium dioxide, 4793 Sodium tetraazidoaurate, 0113b Sodium tetraazidogallate, 4403b... 

The material obtained in the bomb is a bright orange, sintered mass which may be readily pulverized in a mortar to a yellow, hygroscopic powder. Upon exposure to moisture, it evolves oxygen and gradually loses its color, leaving a white residue, which is a mixture of peroxide and hydroxide. Sodium superoxide appears to be stable indefinitely when stored in a desiccator over phosphorus (V) oxide. 

Sodium superoxide, which contains the O 0 - ion, has an effective magnetic moment of approximately 2 Bohr magnetons. The crystal structure is like that of sodium... 

NaNj Sodium azide, 1 79 2 139 NaOCSodium butoxide, 1 88 NaOj Sodium superoxide 4 82 Na202-8H20 Sodium peroxide, 3 1 NbFt Niobium (V) fluoride, 3 179 NdClj Neodymium chloride, 1 32 Nd2(C2O4)2 10H2O Neodymiumox-alate, 2 60... 

SODIUM PEROXIDE (SODIUM DIOXIDE) (SODIUM SUPEROXIDE)... 

RC=N -+ RCONHz. Sodium superoxide in DMSO converts nitriles to amides (2-30 hours) in reasonable yields. The paper also reports cleavage of esters by NaOg in DMSO at 20° in 1-8 hours. ... 

AMIDES Catecholborane. o-Nitrophenyl thiocyanate. Nitiosonium hexafluoro-phosphate. Sodium superoxide. Tri-ethoxydiiodophosphorane. Triphenyl-phosphine-Carbon tetrachloride. 

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