Any of a class of chemical compounds in which two oxygen atoms are linked by a single covalent bond .
Several organic (see organic compound ) and inorganic (see inorganic compound ) peroxides are useful as bleaching and oxidizing agents (see oxidation-reduction ), as initiators of polymerization reactions, and in the preparation of hydrogen peroxide (a mild bleach and antiseptic) and other oxygen compounds. The peroxide anion (chemical formula O 2 2- ) is present in peroxides of inorganic compounds.