Appendix F: Common Peroxide Forming Chemicals
It is recommended that peroxide forming chemicals be checked for the formation of peroxides or disposed of one year after opening. If peroxides are present, remove the peroxides or dispose of the chemical.
acetal fluoroplast acetaldehyde furan allyl ethyl ether hexone bis (2-ethoxyethyl)ether isopropyl alcohol butadiene isopropyl ether 2-butanol methyl isobutylketone buten-3-yne 4-methyl-2-pentanone 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol oxitol acetate butyl dioxitol 1-pentene butyl ether perfluorethene chloroprene potassium metal crotonaldehyde 2-propanol cyclohexane styrene 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene tetrafluorethylene cyclooctene tetrahydrofuran cyclopentene tetrahydronaphthaline decalin (decahydronaphthalene) vinyl acetate dibutyl ether vinyl acetylene diethyl carbitol vinyl chloride diethyl ether vinyl ethers diethylene ether vinylidene chloride diethylene glycol dimethyl ether diethylene oxide diisopropyl ether 1,2-dimethoxyethane dimethyl ether dioxane ether ethoxy acetate ethyl diglyme ethyl ether ethylene glycol monoethers ethylene glycol dimethyl ether These recommendations are from Stephen R. Rayburn, The Foundations of Laboratory Safety, 1990 and Jay A. Young, Improving Safety in the Chemical Laboratory, 1991.
Detection and Inhibition of Peroxides - Basic Protocols Ferrous Thiocyanate Detection Method
Ferrous thiocyanate will detect hydroperoxides with the following test:
Ferrous Thiocyanate Detection Method
- Mix a solution of 5 ml of I % ferrous ammonium sulfate, 0.5 ml of 1 N sulfuric acid and 0.5 ml of 0.1 N ammonium thiocyanate (if necessary decolorize with a trace of zinc dust).
- Shake with an equal quantity of the solvent to be tested.
- If peroxides are present, a red color will develop.
Inhibition of Peroxides
- Add 1 ml of a freshly prepared 10% solution of potassium iodide to 10 ml of ethyl ether in a 25 ml glass-stoppered cylinder of colorless glass protected from light (both components are clear)
- A resulting yellow color indicates the presence of 0.005% peroxides
Please note that these methods are BASIC protocols. Should a researcher perform one of these methods, all safety precautions should be thoroughly researched.
- Storage and handling under an inert atmosphere is a useful precaution
- Addition of 0.001 % hydroquinone, diphenylamine, polyhydroxyphenols, aminophenols or arylamines may stabilize ethers and inhibit formation of peroxides.
- Dowex-1© has been reported effective for inhibiting peroxide formation in ethyl ether.
- 100 ppm of 1-naphthol effective for peroxide inhibition in isopropyl ether.
- Hydroquinone effective for peroxide inhibition in tetrahydrofuran.
- Stannous chloride or ferrous sulfate effective for peroxide inhibition in dioxane.