We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Spontaneous Oxidation in Aqueous Microdroplets: Water Radical Cation as Primary Oxidizing Agent.
- Authors
Qiu, Lingqi; Cooks, R. Graham
- Abstract
Exploration of the unique chemical properties of interfaces can unlock new understanding. A striking example is the finding of accelerated reactions, particularly spontaneous oxidation reactions, that occur without assistance of catalysts or external oxidants at the air interface of both aqueous and organic solutions (provided they contain some water). This finding opened a new area of interfacial chemistry but also caused heated debate regarding the primary chemical species responsible for the observed oxidation. An overview of the literature covering oxidation in microdroplets with air interfaces is provided, together with a critical examination of previous findings and hypotheses. The water radical cation/radical anion pair, formed spontaneously and responsible for the electric field at or near the droplet/air interface, is suggested to constitute the primary redox species. Mechanisms of accelerated microdroplet reactions are critically discussed and it is shown that hydroxyl radical/hydrogen peroxide formation in microdroplets does not require that these species be the primary oxidant. Instead, we suggest that hydroxyl radical and hydrogen peroxide are the products of water radical cation decay in water. The importance of microdroplet chemistry in the prebiotic environment is sketched briefly and the role of partial solvation in reaction acceleration is noted.
- Subjects
RADICAL cations; OXIDIZING agents; MICRODROPLETS; CHEMICAL properties; HYDROXYL group
- Publication
Angewandte Chemie, 2024, Vol 136, Issue 17, p1
- ISSN
0044-8249
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1002/ange.202400118