Superoxide A compound containing the

Superoxide a compound containing the 02 anion. (18.2) Surface tension the resistance of a liquid to an increase in its surface area. (16.2)... 

Superoxide A compound containing the superoxide ion, 02 (oxygen in the —j oxidation state). 

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,. ... 

A superoxide is a binary ionic compound containing the 02 ion with oxygen in the -1/2 oxidation state, such as K02. 

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). 

To prevent membrane damage, the red cell has an armoury of antioxidants, notably a manganese or selenium containing enzyme called superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the sulfydryl compound glutathione (GSH), a tripeptide of y-glutamate, cysteine and glycine. 

Electron-transfer chains in plants differ in several striking aspects from their mammalian counterparts. Plant mitochondria are well known to contain alternative oxidase that couples oxidation of hydroquinones (e.g., ubiquinol) directly to reduction of oxygen. Semiquinones (anion-radicals) and superoxide ions are formed in such reactions. The alternative oxidase thus provides a bypass to the conventional cytochrome electron-transfer pathway and allows plants to respire in the presence of compounds such as cyanides and carbon monoxide. There are a number of studies on this problem (e.g., see Affourtit et al. 2000, references therein). 

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