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, which may be considers