what is a peroxide

A peroxide is a group of chemical compounds in which two oxygen atoms are linked together by a single covalent bond. The structure of a peroxide is R−O−O−R, where R can be any element. The most common peroxide is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which is marketed as solutions in water at various concentrations. Peroxides have various uses, such as being bleaching agents, disinfectants, strong oxidizers, and initiators of polymerization reactions. They are found in organic and inorganic forms, including peroxy acids, main group peroxides, metal peroxides, and organic peroxides. Examples of peroxides include hydrogen peroxide, sodium peroxide, barium peroxide, and organic compounds like tert-butyl hydroperoxide.