Peroxydisulfuric acid is a
sulfurSulfur or sulphur is the chemical element with atomic number 16. In the periodic table it is represented by the symbol S. It is an abundant, multivalent non-metal. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow...
oxoacidAn oxoacid is an acid that contains oxygen. To be more specific, it is an acid that:#contains oxygen#contains at least one other element#has at least one hydrogen atom bound to oxygen#forms an ion by the loss of one or more protons....
with the
chemical formulaA chemical formula or molecular formula is a way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound....
H
2S
2O
8. It is also called
Marshall's acid. In structural terms it can be written HO
3SOOSO
3H. It contains sulfur in its +6
oxidation stateIn chemistry, the oxidation state is an indicator of the degree of oxidation of an atom in a chemical compound. The formal oxidation state is the hypothetical charge that an atom would have if all bonds to atoms of different elements were 100% ionic. Oxidation states are typically represented by...
, but it also contains
peroxideA peroxide is a compound containing an oxygen–oxygen single bond or the peroxide anion .The O−O group is called the peroxide group or peroxo group. In contrast to oxide ions, the oxygen atoms in the peroxide ion have an oxidation state of −1.The simplest stable peroxide is hydrogen peroxide...
ions, which is why it appears to be in a higher oxidation state then
sulfateIn inorganic chemistry, a sulfate is a salt of sulfuric acid.-Chemical properties:...
s. Its salts, commonly known as
persulfateThe term persulfate refers to ions or compounds with more oxygen than normal sulfates.These do not have sulfur in a different oxidation state; rather, they contain peroxide units, where two oxygens take the place of one in a normal sulfate; the oxygen atoms are in oxidation state −1.The main forms...
s, are industrially important but the acid itself is not. The salts contain the
peroxydisulfateThe peroxodisulfate ion, S2O82−, is a sulfur oxoanion. It is commonly referred to as the persulfate ion, but this term also refers to the peroxomonosulfate ion, SO52−.-Compounds containing peroxodisulfate:* Na2S2O8* K2S2O8* 2S2O8...
ion. They are powerful
oxidizing agentAn oxidizing agent can be defined as a substance that removes electrons from another reactant in a redox chemical reaction...
s.
See also
- Peroxymonosulfuric acid
Peroxymonosulfuric acid, also known as persulfuric acid, peroxysulfuric acid, or as Caro's acid, is H2SO5, a liquid at room temperature. In this acid, the S center adopts its characteristic tetrahedral geometry; the connectivity is indicated by the formula HO-O-S2-OH...
Made up of
hydrogen peroxideHydrogen peroxide is the simplest peroxide and an oxidizer. Hydrogen peroxide is a clear liquid, slightly more viscous than water. In dilute solution, it appears colorless. With its oxidizing properties, hydrogen peroxide is often used as a bleach or cleaning agent...
and
sulfur trioxideSulfur trioxide is the chemical compound with the formula SO3. In the gaseous form, this species is a significant pollutant, being the primary agent in acid rain. It is prepared on massive scales as a precursor to sulfuric acid.-Structure and bonding:Gaseous SO3 is a trigonal planar molecule of...
or by
electrolysisIn chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a method of using a direct electric current to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reaction...
of
sulfuric acidSulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid with the molecular formula . Its historical name is oil of vitriol. Pure sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid. The salts of sulfuric acid are called sulfates...