Peroxide

Peroxides are a group of molecules with the structure R–O–O–R, where each R represents a radical (a portion of a complete molecule; not a free radical^[1]) and the O's are single oxygen atoms.^{[2][page needed][3][page needed]} Oxygen atoms are joined to each other and to adjacent elements through single covalent bonds, denoted by dashes or lines. The O–O group in a peroxide is often called the peroxide group, though some nomenclature discrepancies exist. This linkage is recognized as a common polyatomic ion, and exists in many molecules.

The most common peroxide is hydrogen peroxide (H
2O
2), colloquially known simply as "peroxide".^[4] Many organic peroxides are known as well.

In addition to hydrogen peroxide, some other major classes of peroxides are:

• Peroxy acids, the peroxy derivatives of many familiar acids, examples being peroxymonosulfuric acid and peracetic acid, and their salts, one example of which is potassium peroxydisulfate.
• Main group peroxides, compounds with the linkage E–O–O–E (E = main group element).
  

  Structure and dimensions of H
  2O
  2 in gas phase.
• Metal peroxides, examples being barium peroxide (BaO
  2), sodium peroxide (Na
  2O
  2) and zinc peroxide (ZnO
  2).
• Organic peroxides, compounds with the linkage C–O–O–C or C–O–O–H. One example is tert-butylhydroperoxide.

The linkage between the oxygen molecules is known as a peroxy group (sometimes called peroxo group, peroxyl group, of peroxy linkage). The nomenclature of the peroxy group is somewhat variable,^[5] and exists as an exception to the rules of naming polyatomic ions. This is because, when it was discovered, it was believed to be monatomic.^[6] The term was introduced by Thomas Thomson in 1804 for a compound combined with as much oxygen as possible,^[7] or the oxide with the greatest quantity of oxygen.^[8]

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