• 8th most important industrial chemical by mass (1010 kg/yr)

IMPORTANT USES

• disinfectant of water (as hpyochlorous acid (HOCl(aq))
  Cl2 + 2 H2O ® H3O+ + Cl- + HOCl (aq)
  • bleach for textiles, paper, etc (as hypochlorite (OCl-)

  Cl2 + 2 OH- ® H2O + Cl- + OCl- (aq)

  • organochlorine compounds: plastics, drugs

  ELECTROLYSIS

  CHLORINE

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