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Revision as of 22:19, 6 August 2006
| Hypochlorous acid | |
|---|---|
| |
| General | |
| Systematic name | Hypochlorous acid |
| Molecular formula | HClO |
| Molar mass | 52.46 g/mol |
| Properties | |
| Acid dissociation constant pKa |
7.53 |
| Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references | |
Hypochlorous acid is a weak, unstable acid with chemical formula HClO. It occurs only in solution and is used as a bleach, an oxidizer, a deodorant, and a disinfectant.
In aqueous solution, hypochlorous acid partially decomposes into the hypochlorite anion ClO (also known as the chlorate(I) anion) and the proton H. The salts of hypochlorous acid are also called hypochlorites. One of the best known hypochlorites is household bleach, sodium hypochlorite (NaClO).
When pure chlorine is added to water, it forms hypochlorous acid and hydrochloric acid (HCl):
- Cl2 + H2O → HClO + HCl
In the presense of sunlight, hypochlorous acid decomposes into more hydrochloric acid and oxygen, so this reaction is sometimes seen as:
- 2Cl2 + 2H2O → 4HCl + O2
Hypochlorous acid (HClO) is the stronger form of free chlorine, and hydrochloric acid (HCl) lowers pH and alkalinity.
In biology, hypochlorous acid is used by neutrophils to kill bacteria, and it is the active sanitiser in all chlorine based swimming pool products.
External links
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