Benzoyl peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide is a chemical compound (specifically, an organic peroxide) with structural formula (C6H5−C(=O)O−)2, often abbreviated as (BzO)2. In terms of its structure, the molecule can be described as two benzoyl (C6H5−C(=O)−, Bz) groups connected by a peroxide (−O−O−). It is a white granular solid with a faint odour of benzaldehyde, poorly soluble in water but soluble in acetone, ethanol, and many other organic solvents. Benzoyl peroxide is an oxidizer, which is principally used as in the production of polymers.

Benzoyl peroxide
Skeletal formula (top) Ball-and-stick model (bottom)
Clinical data
Trade namesBenzac, Panoxyl, others
Other namesbenzoperoxide, dibenzoyl peroxide (DBPO), BPO
AHFS/Drugs.comProfessional Drug Facts
MedlinePlusa601026
License data
Routes of
administration		Topical
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
  • US: OTC / Rx-only
Identifiers
  • benzoic peroxyanhydride
CAS Number
PubChem CID
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.002.116
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC14H10O4
Molar mass242.230 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
Density1.334 g/cm3
Melting point103 to 105 °C (217 to 221 °F) decomposes
Solubility in waterpoor mg/mL (20 °C)
SMILES
  • c1ccc(cc1)C(=O)OOC(=O)c2ccccc2
  • InChI=1S/C14H10O4/c15-13(11-7-3-1-4-8-11)17-18-14(16)12-9-5-2-6-10-12/h1-10H
  • Key:OMPJBNCRMGITSC-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Data page
Benzoyl peroxide (data page)

Benzoyl peroxide is mainly used in production of plastics and for bleaching flour, hair, plastics and textiles.

As a bleach, it has been used as a medication and a water disinfectant.

As a medication, benzoyl peroxide is mostly used to treat acne, either alone or in combination with other treatments. Some versions are sold mixed with antibiotics such as clindamycin. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. It is available as an over-the-counter and generic medication. It is also used in dentistry for teeth whitening. In 2021, it was the 284th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 700,000 prescriptions.

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