An Investigation of the Reaction of Ozone with Barium Peroxide and Barium Hydroxide

Abstract

The ozonides are a group of oxygen compounds which are formed by the action of ozonized oxygen on the hydroxides of the alkali and alkaline earth metals. They are not really a new class of compounds; for, as early as 1908, colored products were reported which probably consisted In part of ozonides. It was not until 1949, however, that the composition of these compounds was definitely established. At one time they were considered to be derivatives of a hypothetical ozonic acid, H2O4, and were therefore given the name ozonates. |Sodium, potassium and cesium are the only elements which have definitely been reported as forming ozonides. Rubidium, however, has been reported to have formed a colored compound with ozone in the same manner as these metals. Lithium has been reported to act much the same as the other alkali metals but did not form a colored compound. The ozonides of sodium, potassium and cesium are reported to be stable at room temperature. |Sepia brown compounds of barium and calcium have also been reported when these metals were reacted with ozone while being cooled with dry ice and acetone. There has been no work done on the composition of these compounds because they decompose as soon as they are removed from the cooling bath. |The purpose of this investigation was to study the effect of ozone on anhydrous barium hydroxide, barium hydroxide octahydrate, anhydrous barium peroxide, and barium peroxide octahydrate. Some relationship between the amount of the barium compound used and the amount of ozone absorbed in the reaction chamber was sought. It was hoped that some clue as to the composition of the colored reaction products could be ascertained in this manner.