Potassium peroxymonosulfate
Potassium peroxymonosulfate (also known as MPS, potassium monopersulfate, and the trade names Caroat and Oxone) is widely used as an oxidizing agent. It is the potassium salt of peroxymonosulfuric acid.
The potassium salt is marketed by four companies: Arch Pool Chemicals(a subsidiary of Lonza Pharma Group), Evonik (formerly Degussa) under the trade name Caroat, DuPont under the trade name Oxone, and Hangzhou Focus Chemical Co., Ltd. It is a component of a triple salt with the formula 2KHSO5·KHSO4·K2SO4. The standard electrode potential for this compound is +2.51 V with a half reaction generating the hydrogen sulfate (pH=0).
Reactions
MPS is a versatile oxidant. It oxidizes aldehydes to carboxylic acids; in the presence of alcoholic solvents, the esters may be obtained. Internal alkenes may be cleaved to two carboxylic acids (see below), while terminal alkenes may be epoxidized. Thioethers give sulfones, tertiary amines give amine oxides, and phosphines give phosphine oxides.
