Di-''tert''-butyl peroxide or DTBP is an
organic compound
In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. The ...
consisting of a
peroxide
In chemistry, peroxides are a group of compounds with the structure , where R = any element. The group in a peroxide is called the peroxide group or peroxo group. The nomenclature is somewhat variable.
The most common peroxide is hydrogen p ...
group bonded to two
tert-butyl
In organic chemistry, butyl is a four-carbon alkyl radical or substituent group with general chemical formula , derived from either of the two isomers (''n''-butane and isobutane) of butane.
The isomer ''n''-butane can connect in two ways, givi ...
groups. It is one of the most stable
organic peroxide
In organic chemistry, organic peroxides are organic compounds containing the peroxide functional group (). If the R′ is hydrogen, the compounds are called hydroperoxides, which are discussed in that article. The O−O bond of peroxides easily b ...
s, due to the ''tert''-butyl groups being bulky. It is a colorless liquid.
Reactions
The peroxide bond undergoes
homolysis at temperatures above 100 °C. For this reason di-''tert''-butyl peroxide is commonly used as a
radical initiator
In chemistry, radical initiators are substances that can produce radical species under mild conditions and promote radical reactions. These substances generally possess weak bonds—bonds that have small bond dissociation energies. Radical ini ...
in organic synthesis and polymer chemistry. The
decomposition reaction
Chemical decomposition, or chemical breakdown, is the process or effect of simplifying a single chemical entity (normal molecule, reaction intermediate, etc.) into two or more fragments. Chemical decomposition is usually regarded and defined as t ...
proceeds via the generation of methyl radicals.
:(CH
3)
3COOC(CH
3)
3 → 2 (CH
3)
3CO
•
:(CH
3)
3CO
• →
(CH3)2CO +
:2 →
C2H6
DTBP can in principle be used in engines where
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 wel ...
is limited, since the molecule supplies both the oxidizer and the fuel.
Toxicity
DTBP is an irritant to the nose, eyes, and skin. It is also flammable, so it should be handled with care.
See also
*
''tert''-Butyl hydroperoxide
References
External links
*
*
*{{cite patent, inventor1-last=Pourreau, inventor1-first=Daniel B., inventor2-last=Kesling, inventor2-first=Haven S., Jr., inventor3-last=Liotta, inventor3-first=Frank J., Jr., inventor4-last=McFarland, inventor4-first=Jeffrey M., pridate=1993-12-22, pubdate=1994-12-06, title=Preparation of dialkyl peroxides, country=US, number=5371298
Organic peroxides
Fuels
Propellants
Radical initiators
Tert-butyl compounds