title: New pathways for chlorine dioxide decomposition in basic solution.
abstract: The product distribution from the decay of chlorine dioxide in basic solution changes as the ClO(2) concentration decreases. While disproportionation reactions that give equal amounts of ClO(2)(-) and ClO(3)(-) dominate the stoichiometry at millimolar or higher levels of ClO(2), the ratio of ClO(2)(-) to ClO(3)(-) formed increases significantly at micromolar ClO(2) levels. Kinetic evidence shows three concurrent pathways that all exhibit a first-order dependence in [OH(-)] but have variable order in [ClO(2)]. Pathway 1 is a disproportionation reaction that is first order in [ClO(2)]. Pathway 2, a previously unknown reaction, is also first order in [ClO(2)] but forms ClO(2)(-) as the only chlorine-containing product. Pathway 3 is second order in [ClO(2)] and generates equal amounts of ClO(2)(-) and ClO(3)(-). A Cl(2)O(4) intermediate is proposed for this path. At high concentrations of ClO(2), pathway 3 causes the overall ClO(3)(-) yield to approach the overall yield of ClO(2)(-). Pathway 2 is attributed to OH(-) attack on an oxygen atom of ClO(2) that leads to peroxide intermediates and yields ClO(2)(-) and O(2) as products. This pathway is important at low levels of ClO(2).
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1393, USA.
authors.forename: Ihab N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Odeh
authors.forename: Joseph S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Francisco
authors.forename: Dale W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Margerum