Periodic Acid, HIO4

Periodic Acid, HIO4

 

a weak inorganic acid. With water it forms several compounds of the general formula (HIO4)n • (H20)/m, in which the hydrogen atoms may be either fully or partially replaced by metals. Such compounds are regarded as complex polybasic acids with the composition H3IO5, H4I2O9, or H5IO6. Periodic acid salts (periodates) are stable; they decompose only upon heating to 250–300°C. They are strong oxidizing agents. The salts are obtained during the oxidation of iodates in an alkaline medium with chlorine, for example, NalO3 + 6NaCh + Cl2 = Na5IO6 + 2NaCl + 3H20. They are used as chemical reagents.