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Chlorine monoxide
View on WikipediaThis article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (February 2024) |
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| Names | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Preferred IUPAC name
Chlorine monoxide | |||
| Systematic IUPAC name
Chlorooxidanyl | |||
| Other names
Chlorine(II) oxide
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| Identifiers | |||
3D model (JSmol)
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| Abbreviations | ClO• | ||
| ChEBI | |||
| ChemSpider | |||
| MeSH | Chlorosyl | ||
PubChem CID
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| UNII | |||
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
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| Properties | |||
| ClO | |||
| Molar mass | 51.45 g·mol−1 | ||
| Thermochemistry | |||
Std enthalpy of
formation (ΔfH⦵298) |
101.8 kJ/mol[1] | ||
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Chlorine monoxide is a chemical radical with the chemical formula ClO•. It plays an important role in the process of ozone depletion. In the stratosphere, chlorine atoms react with ozone molecules to form chlorine monoxide and oxygen.
- Cl• + O3 → ClO• + O2
This reaction causes the depletion of the ozone layer.[1] The resulting ClO• radicals can further react:
- ClO• + O• → Cl• + O2
regenerating the chlorine radical. In this way, the overall reaction for the decomposition of ozone is catalyzed by chlorine, as ultimately chlorine remains unchanged. The overall reaction is:
- O• + O3 → 2 O2
There has been a significant impact of the use of CFCs on the upper stratosphere, although many countries have agreed to ban the use of CFCs. The nonreactive nature of CFCs allows them to pass into the stratosphere, where they undergo photo-dissociation to form Cl radicals. These then readily form chlorine monoxide, and this cycle can continue until two radicals react to form dichlorine monoxide, terminating the radical reaction. Because the concentration of CFCs in atmosphere is very low, the probability of a terminating reaction is exceedingly low, meaning each radical can decompose many thousands of molecules of ozone.
Even though the use of CFCs has been banned in many countries, CFCs can stay in the atmosphere for 50 to 500 years. This causes many chlorine radicals to be produced and hence a significant amount of ozone molecules are decomposed before the chlorine radicals are able to react with chlorine monoxide to form dichlorine monoxide.
References
[edit]- ^ a b Egon Wiberg; Nils Wiberg; Arnold Frederick Holleman (2001). Inorganic chemistry. Academic Press. p. 462. ISBN 0-12-352651-5.
Chlorine monoxide
View on GrokipediaChlorine monoxide (ClO) is a diatomic inorganic radical consisting of a single chlorine atom covalently bonded to an oxygen atom.[1]
This highly reactive species exists transiently in the Earth's atmosphere, where it acts as a key intermediate in catalytic cycles that destroy stratospheric ozone, particularly over polar regions during periods of low sunlight.[1][2]
In the primary chlorine cycle, atomic chlorine reacts with ozone to form ClO and molecular oxygen, followed by ClO reacting with atomic oxygen to regenerate chlorine, resulting in the net decomposition of two ozone molecules into three oxygen molecules without net consumption of chlorine.[2][3]
ClO is paramagnetic due to its unpaired electron and adopts a linear molecular geometry, with a bond length of approximately 1.48 Å.[4]
Its presence in enhanced concentrations correlates with observed ozone minima, as confirmed by spectroscopic measurements from satellites and ground-based instruments.[5]
Structure and properties
Molecular geometry and bonding
Chlorine monoxide (ClO) is a diatomic radical with a linear molecular geometry, as expected for all diatomic molecules where the atomic nuclei are aligned along the internuclear axis. The experimental Cl–O bond length is 1.569 Å (156.9 pm), shorter than a typical single Cl–O bond (around 1.7 Å in hypochlorite compounds), indicating significant multiple bonding character.[6] The molecule exhibits a dipole moment of 1.24 D, arising from the electronegativity difference between oxygen (3.44) and chlorine (3.16), with the negative end at oxygen.[7] In valence bond theory, the bonding can be described by resonance structures, primarily Cl=O (with the unpaired electron on oxygen) and contributions from Cl–O forms, yielding a bond order closer to 2 than to 1. Quantum chemical computations confirm this, showing the electronic structure resembles that of a double bond more than a single bond, consistent with the observed bond length and strength.[8] Molecular orbital theory for ClO, with 13 valence electrons, places the unpaired electron in a π* antibonding orbital in the ^2Π ground state, resulting in a formal bond order of 2.5 when accounting for filled bonding (σ and π) and partially filled antibonding orbitals.[9] The Cl–O bond dissociation energy, derived from thermochemical data, is approximately 269 kJ/mol at 0 K, reflecting the robust nature of the bond despite the radical character.[10] This energy is calculated as the difference in enthalpies of formation: D_0 = \Delta H_f^\circ (\ce{Cl}) + \Delta H_f^\circ (\ce{O}) - \Delta H_f^\circ (\ce{ClO}), using standard atomic values and the measured \Delta H_f^\circ (\ce{ClO}) = 101.7 \pm 0.04 kJ/mol.[10]Physical properties
Dichlorine monoxide exists as a yellowish-brown gas under standard conditions, exhibiting a disagreeable, suffocating odor similar to chlorine.[11] It condenses to a dark red liquid at low temperatures and is highly unstable, decomposing readily above its boiling point or upon exposure to light and moisture.[11][12] Key thermophysical parameters include a melting point of −120.6 °C and a boiling point of approximately 2 °C, reflecting its low volatility and tendency to exist as a gas near ambient temperatures despite rapid decomposition.[12][13] The gas density is 3.89 g/L at 0 °C, consistent with its molecular weight of 86.90 g/mol.[11]| Property | Value | Conditions/Source Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Melting point | −120.6 °C | Experimental data[12] |
| Boiling point | 2 °C | Reported across multiple chemical databases[13] |
| Density (gas) | 3.89 g/L | At 0 °C[11] |
Thermodynamic data
The standard enthalpy of formation (Δ_f H^°) of gaseous chlorine monoxide (ClO) at 298.15 K is 101.7 ± 0.04 kJ/mol, as determined from active thermochemical tables (ATcT) that integrate high-level quantum chemical calculations with experimental data for high precision.[10] At 0 K, this value is 101.1 kJ/mol.[10] The standard molar entropy (S^°) of ClO(g) at 298.15 K and 1 bar is 226.65 J mol^{-1} K^{-1}, based on JANAF thermochemical tables evaluated from spectroscopic and calorimetric measurements.[16] [17] The constant-pressure molar heat capacity (C_p) of ClO(g) at 298.15 K is 31.55 J mol^{-1} K^{-1}.[17] Shomate equation coefficients for C_p over 298–600 K (A = 18.72, B = 59.08, C = -73.82, D = 34.56, E = 0.076) enable computation of temperature-dependent values, derived from fitted spectroscopic data.[16]| Property | Symbol | Value at 298.15 K | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enthalpy of formation | Δ_f H^° | 101.7 ± 0.04 | kJ/mol |
| Molar entropy | S^° | 226.65 | J mol^{-1} K^{-1} |
| Heat capacity | C_p | 31.55 | J mol^{-1} K^{-1} |


