FrankRizzo - 7-9-2007 at 13:48
I'd like to prepare potassium persulfate using the monopersulfate (Oxone) as the starting material (I've got a cheap supply) and possibly electrolysis
or some other fairly straightforward reaction mechanism. Is this a realistic endeavor?
Ozone - 7-9-2007 at 18:57
See:
http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=8113&a...
And:
http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6200440.html
Cheers,
O3
FrankRizzo - 10-9-2007 at 13:58
Thanks Ozone; of course I've been a member here for a while so I know to search before posting a new topic. 
I'm looking for information specifically on creating potassium persulfate *from* the monopersulfate. The persulfate has some novel properties as an
oxidizer that Oxone itself doesn't.
Ozone - 10-9-2007 at 17:19
Oops! I see what you mean. I *think* (pharma patents are deliberately obfuscate) i've found one synthesis that actually makes use of both. I have to
admit that, until your question, I've always used whatever was at hand (and it usually worked).
It seems that joining them up might be tricky without triggering the decomposition of the monopersulfate prior to formation of the persulfate
compound.
Just thinking here: I don't think that the "dimer"can be made without first losing O2 (and hence, 1 mole of starting material, which is usually bad).
Perhaps treatment of your monopersulfate with sulfuryl chloride (SO2Cl2) could give the acidic (chlorosulfonic) intermediate and KCl. Quenching with
water might give the persulfate ion and HCl. This might be salted out with KOH.
Just thinking here (nothing concrete),
O3
Theoretic - 22-9-2007 at 10:30
The composition
of Oxone is 2KHSO5.KHSO4.K2SO4
K2S2O8 + 2H2O <=> 2KHSO4 + H2O2
KHSO4 + H2O2 <=> KHSO5 + H2O
These equilibria establish themselves fairly easily at rt, so the persulfate can be prepared by adding some H2SO4 to turn (some of) the sulfate into
bisulfate, so it can react with the monopersulfate, but for 4 moles of K2S2O8 you will have 1 mole of K2SO4 (or 2 of KHSO4, depending on how much acid
you added), and you will have to add hydrogen peroxide to turn everything into persulfate.