Oxygen monofluoride

Oxygen monofluoride is an unstable binary inorganic compound radical of fluorine and oxygen with the chemical formula OF. This is the simplest of many oxygen fluorides.

Synthesis

 * OF is a radical that can be formed by thermal of photolytic decomposition of Oxygen difluoride.


 * OF2 -> OF + F


 * A reaction of fluorine and ozone:


 * F + O3 -> OF + O2

Atmosphere
Oxygen- and fluorine-containing radicals like O2F and OF occur in the atmosphere. These, along with other halogen radicals, have been implicated in the destruction of ozone in the atmosphere. However, the oxygen monofluoride radicals are assumed to not play as big a role in the ozone depletion because free fluorine atoms in the atmosphere are believed to react with methane to produce hydrofluoric acid which precipitates in rain.


 * O3 + F -> O2 + OF
 * O + OF -> O2 + F