DISPROPORTIONATION OF SOME ALKALI-METAL CHLORITES IN THE SOLID-PHASE

Thermal behaviours of some alkali metal chlorites were studied under dynamic and isothermal conditions and some physical data of the chlorites were also determined. It was found that these chlorites disproportionate into chlorate and chloride in the solid phase without any measurable evolution of gas. The disproportionations were strongly exothermic. The values of the activation energies for the disproportionation reactions were found to be much smaller than the dissociation energy required for the rupture of the Cl-O bond. It was concluded that the disproportionations of alkali metal chlorites take place by rearrangement inside the lattice, without formation of atomic oxygen. © 1979 Wiley Heyden Ltd., Chichester and Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest.