Tetraoxidane is an inorganic compound of

hydrogen Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula . It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, an ...

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 wel ...

with the chemical formula . This is one of the unstable

hydrogen polyoxide Hydrogen polyoxides (also known as oxidanes, oxohydrogens, or oxyhydrogens) are chemical compounds that consist only of hydrogen and oxygen atoms, are bonded exclusively by single bonds (i.e., they are saturated), and are acyclic (have molecular ...

Synthesis

The compound is prepared by a chemical reaction between

hydroperoxyl The hydroperoxyl radical, also known as the hydrogen superoxide, is the protonated form of superoxide with the chemical formula HO2. This species plays an important role in the atmosphere and as a reactive oxygen species in cell biology. Struc ...

radicals () at low temperatures: ::

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Physical properties

This is the fourth member of the polyoxidanes. The first three are water mon)oxidane

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%� ...

(dioxidane), and

trioxidane Trioxidane (systematically named μ-trioxidanediidodihydrogen), also called dihydrogen trioxide, is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula (can be written as or ). It is one of the unstable hydrogen polyoxides. In aqueous solutions, t ...

. Tetroxidane is more unstable than the previous compounds. The term "tetraoxidane" extends beyond the parent compound to several daughter compounds of the general formula , where R can be hydrogen, halogen atoms, or various inorganic and organic monovalent radicals. The two Rs together can be replaced by a divalent radical, so heterocyclic tetroxidanes also exist.

Ionization

Tetroxidane autoionizes when in liquid form: ::

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References

{{Hydrides by group Inorganic compounds Oxides Polyoxides Hydrogen compounds