Decomposition of cyclic acetone peroxides in acid media

The kinetics and stoichiometry of the formation of active oxygen (AO) in the acidic decomposition of trimeric (TATP) and dimeric (DADP) cyclic acetone peroxides are considered. Fe(III) produced as a result of Fe(II) oxidation with active oxygen has been determined using rhodanide procedure. The kinetics of the formation of active oxygen is described by a first order equation. The effective rate constant of TATP decomposition depends on the Hammett acidity function H ₀: log k _eff = ?H ₀ ? 2.6 (k _eff is in s^?1). Consequently, the decomposition rate of TATP is limited by protonation. In the HCl and H₂SO₄ concentration range from 0.006 to 2.9 mol/L, the decomposition of DADP occurs with k _eff = 0.0010 ± 0003 s^?1 at a Fe(II) concentration of 3.5 mmol/L and k _eff depends linearly on the concentration of Fe(II).