The Haber–Weiss reaction generates •OH (hydroxyl radicals) from H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) and superoxide (•O2−). This reaction can occur in cells and is therefore a possible source for oxidative stress. The reaction is very slow, but is catalyzed by iron. The first step of the catalytic cycle involves reduction of ferric ion to ferrous:
Fe3+ + •O2− → Fe2+ + O2
The second step is the Fenton reaction:
Fe2+ + H2O2 → Fe3+ + OH− + •OHNet reaction:
•O2− + H2O2 → •OH + OH− + O2The reaction is named after Fritz Haber and his student Joseph Joshua Weiss.
References
Haber–Weiss reaction Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA