There are two methods for large-scale production of hydrogen peroxide. One is by autoxidation of an anthraquinol, such as 2-ethylanthraquinol:
The resulting quinone is reduced with H2 gas. The H2O2 is obtained as a 20% aqueous solution. Only O2 and H2 and H2O are required as raw materials. –sulfuric acid solutions to give peroxodisulfuric acid, which is then hydrolyzed to yield H2O2:
Fractional distillation can then give 90 to 98 % , H2O2
The redox chemistry of H2O2 in aqueous solution is summarized by the potentials:
These show that hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizing agent in either acid or basic solution. It behaves as a reducing agent only toward very strong oxidizing agents such as MnO4-.
Dilute or 30% hydrogen peroxide solutions are widely used as oxidant. In acid solution they are usually fast oxidation with hydrogen peroxide are slow, whereas in basic solution. Decomposition to H2O and O2,