Boxing in Peroxide

摘要

Hydrogen peroxide (H_2O_2) is a powerful oxidant, and its reactivity is exploited in numerous biological, as well as synthetic, contexts. Lopez et al. (p. 450) have now managed to capture its dianion (O_2(~2-)) in a cryptand-essentially a molecular box assembled from benzamide derivatives-keeping the dianion stable in organic solution for days through a net of well-placed internal hydrogen-bond donors. The encapsulated dianion exhibited clean oxidative reactivity back to O_2 either by chemical or by electrochemical means.