Production of singlet oxygen by the reaction of non-basic hydrogen peroxide with chlorine gas.

Non-basic hydrogen peroxide was found to be very easy to react with Cl(2) to produce singlet oxygen O(2)(a(1)Δ(g)) (i.e. the molecular oxygen in its first electronic excited state) when an H(+) absorbent such as C(5)H(5)N, CH(3)COONH(4), HCOONH(4) or NH(4)F was added into H(2)O(2) aqueous solution, and the long concealed fact that molecular H(2)O(2) can react with Cl(2) to produce O(2)(a(1)Δ(g)) was then uncovered. It is only when an H(+) absorbent has provided a stronger base than H(2)O to absorb the H(+) produced during the reaction that O(2)(a(1)Δ(g)) can be produced.