Hydrogen Peroxide: A Versatile Reagent in Organic Synthesis

Introduction

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a strong oxidizing agent and a weak acid in aqueous solution. It is a very pale blue liquid which appears colorless in dilute solution and is completely miscible with water. Hydrogen peroxide and its highly concentrated aqueous solutions (>65%) are soluble in a range of organic solvents, for example carboxylic esters. It decomposes in a violent reaction into water and oxygen if heated above 80 °C. It also decomposes under the influence of light and in the presence of metal ions or oxidizable organic materials. Hydrogen peroxide is commercially available in concentrations of 3-90% as a solution in water.

Hydrogen peroxide and water do not form azeotropic mixtures and can be completely separated by distillation. By fractional crystallization of highly concentrated solutions 100% pure hydrogen peroxide can be obtained. Pure hydrogen peroxide is usually only of academic interest and is not produced on industrial scale.

Hydrogen peroxide is manufactured by the autoxidation of 2-ethyl-9,10-dihydroxyanthracene to 2-ethylanthraquinone and hydrogen peroxide using oxygen from the air. [1]

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