Sodium superoxide
Oxidised sodium after improper storage under contaminated hexane showing an orange crust of sodium superoxide.
Names
IUPAC name
Sodium superoxide
Other names
Sodium superoxide
Sodium dioxide
Sodium dioxidanidylide
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
RTECS number
  • WE2860010
UNII
UN number 2547
  • InChI=1S/Na.HO2/c;1-2/h;1H/q+1;/p-1
    Key: TZACNHSIZFFYEH-UHFFFAOYSA-M
  • [O-][O].[Na+]
Properties
NaO2
Molar mass 54.9886 g/mol
Appearance Yellow to orange crystalline solid
Density 2.2 g/cm3
Melting point 551.7 °C (1,025.1 °F; 824.9 K)
Boiling point Decomposes
Decomposes
Basicity (pKb) N/A
Structure
cubic
Thermochemistry
72.1 J/mol K
115.9 J/mol K
-260.2 kJ/mol
-218.4 kJ/mol
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS03: OxidizingGHS05: Corrosive
Danger
H271, H314
P210, P220, P260, P280, P303+P361+P353, P305+P351+P338
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 3: Short exposure could cause serious temporary or residual injury. E.g. chlorine gasFlammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. waterInstability 1: Normally stable, but can become unstable at elevated temperatures and pressures. E.g. calciumSpecial hazard OX: Oxidizer. E.g. potassium perchlorate
3
0
1
OX
Flash point Non flammable
Related compounds
Other anions
 sodium oxide
sodium peroxide
Other cations
 Lithium superoxide
Potassium superoxide
Rubidium superoxide
Caesium superoxide
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Sodium superoxide is the inorganic compound with the formula NaO2.[1] This yellow-orange solid is a salt of the superoxide anion. It is an intermediate in the oxidation of sodium by oxygen.

Preparation

NaO2 is prepared by treating sodium peroxide with oxygen at high pressures:[2]

Na2O2 + O2 → 2 NaO2

It can also be prepared by careful oxygenation of a solution of sodium in ammonia:

Na(in NH3) + O2 → NaO2

It is also produced, along with sodium peroxide, when sodium is stored under inappropriate conditions (e.g. in dirty or partially halogenated solvents)[citation needed].

Properties

The product is paramagnetic, as expected for a salt of the O−
2 anion. It hydrolyses readily to give a mixture of sodium hydroxide, oxygen and hydrogen peroxide.[3] It crystallizes in the NaCl motif.

References

  1. ^ Hayyan, Maan; Hashim, Mohd Ali; AlNashef, Inas M. (2016-02-15). "Superoxide Ion: Generation and Chemical Implications". Chemical Reviews. American Chemical Society (ACS). 116 (5): 3029–3085. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00407. ISSN 0009-2665. PMID 26875845.
  2. ^ Stephen E. Stephanou, Edgar J. Seyb Jr., Jacob Kleinberg "Sodium Superoxide" Inorganic Syntheses 1953; Vol. 4, 82-85.
  3. ^ Sasol Encyclopaedia of Science and Technology , G.C. Gerrans, P. Hartmann-Petersen , p.243 "sodium oxides" , google books link
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