Photo-oxidation of formic, acetic, and propionic acids with aqueous hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

Photolytic oxidation of aliphatic acids with aqueous H2O2 has been studied. Formic acid gives CO2 and H2O. Acetic acid gives products containing CO2, methane, formic, glycolic, and tartaric acids. Propionic acid gives CO2, methane, ethane, acetic, formic, lactic, β-hydroxypropionic, malonic, and glycolic acids. A mechanism involving an initial H-atom abstraction by HO•formed via photo-dissociation of H2O2 is postulated and discussed.