Formula NaO2 Melting point 551.7 °C | Molar mass 54.9886 g/mol Density 2.2 g/cm³ | |
 | ||
Appearance Yellow to orange crystalline solid | ||
Sodium superoxide is the inorganic compound with the formula NaO2. This yellow-orange solid is a salt of the superoxide anion. It is an intermediate in the oxidation of sodium by oxygen.
Contents
Preparation
NaO2 is prepared by treating sodium peroxide with oxygen at high pressures:
Na2O2 + O2 → 2 NaO2It can also be prepared by careful oxygenation of a solution of sodium in ammonia:
Na(in NH3) + O2 → NaO2Properties
The product is paramagnetic, as expected for a salt of the O−
2 anion. It hydrolyses readily to give a mixture of sodium hydroxide, oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. It crystallizes in the NaCl motif.
References
Sodium superoxide Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA