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Oxidation of phenol and hydroquinone by chlorine dioxide

Journal Article · · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00101a006· OSTI ID:6847409

Rates of reaction of chlorine dioxide with phenol and with hydroquinone were determined with a stopped-flow spectrophotometer in the pH range 4-8. Second-order rate constants increase with increasing pH, consistent with a mechanism in which both the free phenol and the more reactive phenoxide anion react with ClO/sub 2/. Removal of an electron from the substrate by ClO/sub 2/ to form a phenoxyl radical and ClO/sub 2//sup -/ ion is the rate-determining step. Subsequently, in the case of hydroquinone, ClO/sub 2/ removes another electron from the radical, forming p-benzoquinone and another ClO/sub 2//sup -/ ion. In the case of phenol, ClO/sub 2/ adds to the phenoxyl radical para to the oxygen, and p-benzoquinone is formed with concomitant release of HOCl. The mechanism for phenol reaction accounts for (i) the immediate formation of p-benzoquinone without apparent intermediacy of hydroquinone, (ii) the chlorination observed in solutions containing excess phenol, and (iii) the production of only 0.5 mol of ClO/sub 2//sup -//mol of ClO/sub 2/ consumed.

Research Organization:
U.S. Army Medical Bioengineering Research and Development Lab., Frederick, MD
OSTI ID:
6847409
Journal Information:
Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 16:7; ISSN ESTHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English