Superoxide

In chemistry, a superoxide is a compound that contains the superoxide ion, which has the chemical formula O2. The systematic name of the anion is dioxide(1). The reactive oxygen ion superoxide is particularly important as the product of the one-electron reduction of dioxygen O2, which occurs widely in nature. Molecular oxygen (dioxygen) is a diradical containing two unpaired electrons, and superoxide results from the addition of an electron which fills one of the two degenerate molecular orbitals, leaving a charged ionic species with a single unpaired electron and a net negative charge of −1. Both dioxygen and the superoxide anion are free radicals that exhibit paramagnetism. Superoxide was historically also known as "hyperoxide".

Superoxide

Lewis structure of superoxide. The six outer-shell electrons of each oxygen atom are shown in black; one electron pair is shared (middle); the unpaired electron is shown in the upper-left; and the additional electron conferring a negative charge is shown in red.
Names
IUPAC name
Superoxide
Systematic IUPAC name
Dioxidan-2-idylide
Other names
Hyperoxide, Dioxide(1−)
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChemSpider
487
KEGG
UNII
  • InChI=1S/O2/c1-2/q-1
    Key: MXDZWXWHPVATGF-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • O=[O-]
Properties
O2
Molar mass 31.998 g·mol−1
Conjugate acid Hydroperoxyl
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references
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