SEARCH FOR SINGLET OXYGEN LUMINESCENCE IN THE DISPROPORTIONATION OF HO₂/O₂

Abstract

Abstract— During the reaction HO 2 + HO 2 (or O 2 ‐ ) = H 2 O 2 + O 2 in aqueous solution, no luminescence in the region 620–720 nm, expected if the product O 2 were formed in a singlet state, could be detected. If any singlet O 2 is formed, its yield must be less than 10%. Faint luminescence, sometimes found at shorter wavelengths, was shown to arise from reaction of HO 2 with impurities in the reagents present.