What are peroxo carbonates \& peroxodicarbonate? Give their properties.

Short Answer

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Peroxo carbonates and peroxodicarbonates are compounds in which Peroxide (O2 2-) anion is attached to Carbonate (CO3 2-), or Dicarbonate anion (C2O6 2-) respectively. They are generally unstable and decompose easily to yield oxygen and a carbonate or some other stable ion. They are strong oxidising agents and find use in industries as bleaching agents and in various chemical reactions.

Step by step solution

01

Explanation of the Structure

Peroxo Carbonate is the compound (CO4 2-) in which a peroxide anion (O2 2-) attaches to a carbonate anion (CO3 2-). Similarly, Peroxodicarbonate is the compound (C2O8 2-) in which a peroxide anion (O2 2-) attaches to a Dicarbonate anion (C2O6 2-). In symmetrical peroxides, the two negatively charged oxygen atoms are linked together in a -O-O- bond.
02

Description of Properties

The peroxo carbonates and peroxodicarbonates are generally unstable and decompose easily, often explosively, to yield oxygen and a carbonate or some other stable ion. For instance, Potassium peroxocarbonate (K2CO4) decomposes to yield Potassium carbonate and Oxygen gas. The -O-O- bond in these compounds is relatively weak, leading to the high reactivity and instability of these compounds.
03

Notable Uses

Due to their instability and strong oxidising nature, peroxo carbonates and peroxodicarbonates find use in industries as bleaching agents and in chemical reactions as oxidizing agents. They can cause other substances to lose electrons and be oxidized. However, due to their unstable nature, they are not usually stored but produced in situ for immediate use.

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