8/10/2020 Oxidizing agent - Wikipedia

Oxidizing agent
In chemistry, an oxidising agent (oxidant, oxidizer) is a substance that has the
ability to oxidize other substances — in other words to accept their electrons.
Common oxidizing agents are oxygen, hydrogen peroxide and the halogens.

In one sense, an oxidizing agent is a chemical species that undergoes a chemical

reaction in which it gains one or more electrons. In that sense, it is one
component in an oxidation–reduction (redox) reaction. In the second sense, an
oxidizing agent is a chemical species that transfers electronegative atoms, usually
The international
oxygen, to a substrate. Combustion, many explosives, and organic redox reactions pictogram for
involve atom-transfer reactions. oxidizing chemicals.

Contents
Electron acceptors
Atom-transfer reagents
Common oxidizing agents
Dangerous materials definition
Dangerous goods
Common oxidizing agents and their products
label for oxidizing
See also agents
References

Electron acceptors
Electron acceptors participate in electron-transfer reactions. In this context, the
oxidizing agent is called an electron acceptor and the reducing agent is called an
electron donor. A classic oxidizing agent is the ferrocenium ion Fe(C5H5)+ 2 , which
accepts an electron to form Fe(C5H5)2. One of the strongest acceptors commercially
available is "Magic blue", the radical cation derived from N(C6H4-4-Br)3.[1]

Extensive tabulations of ranking the electron accepting properties of various reagents

(redox potentials) are available, see Standard electrode potential (data page).
Tetracyanoquinod
Atom-transfer reagents is an organic
electron-
In more common usage, an oxidising agent transfers oxygen atoms to a substrate. In acceptor.
this context, the oxidising agent can be called an oxygenation reagent or oxygen-atom
transfer (OAT) agent.[2] Examples include MnO− 2−
4 (permanganate), CrO4 (chromate),
OsO4 (osmium tetroxide), and especially ClO− 4 (perchlorate). Notice that these species are all oxides.

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In some cases, these oxides can also serve as electron acceptors, as illustrated by the conversion of MnO−
4
to MnO2−
4 , manganate.

Common oxidizing agents

Oxygen (O2)
Ozone (O3)
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and other inorganic peroxides, Fenton's reagent
Fluorine (F2), chlorine (Cl2), and other halogens
Nitric acid (HNO3) and nitrate compounds
Sulfuric acid (H2SO4)
Peroxydisulfuric acid (H2S2O8)
Peroxymonosulfuric acid (H2SO5)
Hypochlorite, Chlorite, chlorate, perchlorate, and other analogous halogen compounds like
household bleach (NaClO)
Hexavalent chromium compounds such as chromic and dichromic acids and chromium trioxide,
pyridinium chlorochromate (PCC), and chromate/dichromate compounds
Permanganate compounds such as potassium permanganate (KMnO4)
Sodium perborate
Nitrous oxide (N2O), Nitrogen dioxide/Dinitrogen tetroxide (NO2 / N2O4)
Potassium nitrate (KNO3), the oxidizer in black powder
Sodium bismuthate (NaBiO3)
Cerium (IV) compounds such as ceric ammonium nitrate and ceric sulfate
Lead dioxide (PbO2)

Dangerous materials definition

The dangerous goods definition of an oxidizing agent is a substance that can cause or contribute to the
combustion of other material.[3] By this definition some materials that are classified as oxidizing agents
by analytical chemists are not classified as oxidizing agents in a dangerous materials sense. An example
is potassium dichromate, which does not pass the dangerous goods test of an oxidizing agent.

The U.S. Department of Transportation defines oxidizing agents specifically. There are two definitions
for oxidizing agents governed under DOT regulations. These two are Class 5; Division 5.1(a)1 and Class
5; Division 5.1(a)2. Division 5.1 "means a material that may, generally by yielding oxygen, cause or
enhance the combustion of other materials." Division 5.(a)1 of the DOT code applies to solid oxidizers "if,
when tested in accordance with the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria (IBR, see § 171.7 of this
subchapter), its mean burning time is less than or equal to the burning time of a 3:7 potassium
bromate/cellulose mixture." 5.1(a)2 of the DOT code applies to liquid oxidizers "if, when tested in
accordance with the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, it spontaneously ignites or its mean time for a
pressure rise from 690 kPa to 2070 kPa gauge is less than the time of a 1:1 nitric acid (65
percent)/cellulose mixture."[4]

Common oxidizing agents and their products

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Agent Product(s)
O2 oxygen Various, including the oxides H2O and CO2

O3 ozone Various, including ketones, aldehydes, and H2O; see ozonolysis

F2 fluorine F−
Cl2 chlorine Cl−
Br2 bromine Br−

I2 iodine I−, I−3

ClO− hypochlorite Cl−, H2O

ClO−3 chlorate Cl−, H2O

NO nitric oxide
HNO3 nitric acid
NO2 nitrogen dioxide

S sulfur
SO2 sulfur dioxide
(Claus process, ultramarine production, more commonly reducing agent)
Hexavalent chromium
CrO3 chromium trioxide
Cr3+, H2O
CrO2−
4 chromate
Cr2O2−
7 dichromate

MnO−4 permanganate Mn2+ (acidic) or

MnO2−
4 manganate
MnO2 (basic)

RuO4 ruthenium tetroxide

in organic lab scale synthesis
OsO4 osmium tetroxide
H2O2, other peroxides Various, including oxides and H2O

Tl(III) thallic compounds Tl(I) thallous compounds, in organic lab scale synthesis

See also
Combustion
Dye
Electrosynthesis
Solvated electron
Organic oxidation
Organic redox reaction
Reducing agent

References
1. N. G. Connelly, W. E. Geiger (1996). "Chemical Redox Agents for Organometallic Chemistry".
Chemical Reviews. 96 (2): 877–910. doi:10.1021/cr940053x (https://doi.org/10.1021%2Fcr940053x).
PMID 11848774 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11848774).
2. Smith, Michael B.; March, Jerry (2007), Advanced Organic Chemistry: Reactions, Mechanisms, and
Structure (https://books.google.com/books?id=JDR-nZpojeEC&printsec=frontcover) (6th ed.), New
York: Wiley-Interscience, ISBN 978-0-471-72091-1
3. Australian Dangerous Goods Code, 6th Edition
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4. 49 CFR 172.127 General Requirements for Shipments and Packagings; Subpart D

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