Patent ID: 7763768

Claim:
A method for the preparation of reactive hydrogen peroxide ion in deep utectic solvents by the electrochemical reduction of oxygen in the deep eutectic solvent or mixture of deep eutectic solvents; in the presence of small quantity of water (less than 10 wt %), wherein the deep eutectic solvent (DES) is a compound, having a freezing point of up to 100° C. formed by the reaction of at least one amine salt of the formula R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 N + X − (I) with at least one organic compound (II) which is capable of forming a hydrogen bond with X − , wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are each independently:— H, optionally substituted C 1 to C 5 alkyl, optionally C 6 to C 10 cycloalkyl, optionally substituted C 6 to C 12 aryl optionally substituted C 7 to C 12 alkaryl, or wherein R 1 and R 2 taken together represent a C 4 to C 10 optionally substituted alkylene group, wherein the term “optionally substituted” means that the group in question may or may not be substituted with at one or more groups selected from OH, SH, SR 5 , Cl, Br, F, I, NH 2 , CN, NO 2 , COOR S , CHO, COR 5 and OR 5 , wherein R 5 is a C 1 to C 10 alkyl or cycloalkyl group, wherein the organic compound II is i) urea, acetamide, thiourea, glyoxylic acid, malonic acid, oxalic acid dihydrate, trifluoroacetic acid, benzoic acid, benzyl alcohol, phenol p-methyl phenol, o-methyl phenol, m-methyl phenol, p-chloro phenol, D-fructose, or vanillin; ii) aniline or a substituted aniline a C 1 -C 6 aliphatic acid, a C 1 -C 6 hydroxyaliphatic acid, or a dicarboxylic acid of the formula HOOC(CH 2 ) n COOH, wherein n is 0 or 1, acetamide, a phenol or a substituted phenol, an alkylene glycol, citric acid, ethylene glycol, wherein the molar ratio of I to II is from 1:1.5 to 1:2.5; b) maintaining the mixture of step a) at a temperature from 10° to 100° C.; and c) the electrochemical generation of the superoxide ion in the mixture by the reduction of oxygen in the mixture wherein the suoeroxide ion generated in situe will destroy the halogenated hydrocarbons.