chemistry Chemistry is the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the elements that make up matter to the compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions: their composition, structure, propertie ...

, peroxycarbonate (sometimes peroxocarbonate) or percarbonate is a

divalent In chemistry, the valence (US spelling) or valency (British spelling) of an element is the measure of its combining capacity with other atoms when it forms chemical compounds or molecules. Description The combining capacity, or affinity of ...

anion An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...

with formula . It is an oxocarbon anion that consists solely of

carbon Carbon () is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalent—its atom making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds. It belongs to group 14 of the periodic table. Carbon makes u ...

and

oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as ...

. It would be the anion of a hypothetical peroxocarbonic acid HO–CO–O–OH. or the real hydroperoxyformic acid, HO-O-CO-OH (a.k.a. percarbonic acid, carbonoperoxoic acid). The peroxycarbonate anion is formed, together with peroxydicarbonate , at the negative

electrode An electrode is an electrical conductor used to make contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit (e.g. a semiconductor, an electrolyte, a vacuum or air). Electrodes are essential parts of batteries that can consist of a variety of materials ...

during

electrolysis In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a technique that uses direct electric current (DC) to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reaction. Electrolysis is commercially important as a stage in the separation of elements fro ...

of molten

lithium carbonate Lithium carbonate is an inorganic compound, the lithium salt of carbonate with the formula . This white salt is widely used in the processing of metal oxides. It is listed on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines because it c ...

. Lithium peroxycarbonate can be produced also by combining

carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide ( chemical formula ) is a chemical compound made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in the gas state at room temperature. In the air, carbon dioxide is tr ...

with

lithium hydroxide Lithium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula LiOH. It can exist as anhydrous or hydrated, and both forms are white hygroscopic solids. They are soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethanol. Both are available commercially. Whi ...

in concentrated

hydrogen peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound with the formula . In its pure form, it is a very pale blue liquid that is slightly more viscous than water. It is used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic, usually as a dilute solution (3 ...

H₂O₂ at −10 °C. Electrolysis of a solution of lithium carbonate at -30° to -40 °C yields a solution of the Lithium percarbonate, which can liberate iodine from potassium iodide instantaneously. The crystalline salt has not been isolated. The peroxycarbonate anion has been proposed as an intermediate to explain the catalytic effect of CO₂ on the oxidation of organic compounds by O₂. The potassium and rubidium salts of the monovalent hydrogenperoxocarbonate anion have also been obtained.Mimoza Gjikaj (2001)
"Darstellung und strukturelle Charakterisierung neuer Alkali- bzw. Erdalkalimetallperoxide, -hydrogenperoxide, -peroxocarbonate und -peroxohydrate"
. Doctoral Thesis, University of Köln. 115 pages.M. Mehta and A. Adam (1998), ''Z. Kristallogr.'', Suppl. Issue 15 p. 53. Cited by Gjikaj.M. Mehta and A. Adam (1998), ''Z. Kristallogr.'', Suppl. Issue 15 p. 46. Cited by Gjikaj.

References

Oxyanions Oxocarbons Physical chemistry {{chem-stub

See also

References