Generally, oxoacids are simply polyatomic anions attached to a positively-polari

zed hydrogen, which can be split off as a cation.

Under Lavoisier's original theory, all acids contained oxygen, which was named f
rom the Greek ???? (oxys acid, sharp) and the root -?e??? (-genes creator). It w
as later discovered that some acids, notably hydrochloric acid, did not contain
oxygen and so acids were divided into oxoacids and these new hydroacids.
All oxoacids have the acidic hydrogen bound to an oxygen atom, so bond strength
(length) is not a factor, as it is with binary nonmetal hydrides. Rather, the el
ectronegativity of the central atom (X) and the number of O atoms determine oxoa
cid acidity. With the same central atom X, acid strength increases as the number
of oxygens attached to X increases. With the same number of oxygens around E, a
cid strength increases with the electronegativity of X.
Imidic acids are created by replacing =O with =NR in an oxoacid.[2]
Properties[edit]
An oxoacid molecule contains the structure X-O-H, where other atoms or atom grou
ps can be connected to the central atom X. In a solution, such a molecule can be
dissociated into ions in two distinct ways
X-O-H ? (X-O)- + H+
X-O-H ? X+ + OH-[3]
If the central atom X is strongly electronegative, then it strongly attracts the
electrons of the oxygen atom. In that case, the bond between the oxygen and hyd
rogen atom is weak, and the compound ionizes easily in the way of the former of
the two chemical equations above. In this case, the compound XOH is an acid, bec
ause it releases a proton, that is, a hydrogen ion. For example, nitrogen, sulfu
r and chlorine are strongly electronegative elements, and therefore nitric acid,
sulfuric acid, and perchloric acid, are strong acids.
If, however, the electronegativity of X is low, then the compound is dissociated
to ions according to the latter chemical equation, and XOH is an alkaline hydro
xide. Examples of such compounds are sodium hydroxide NaOH and calcium hydroxide
Ca(OH)2.[3] Owing to the high electronegativity of oxygen, however, most of the
common oxobases, such as sodium hydroxide, while strongly basic in water, are o
nly moderately basic in comparison to other bases. For example, the pKa of the c
onjugate acid of sodium hydroxide, water, is 15.7, while that of sodium amide, a
mmonia, is closer to 40, making sodium hydroxide a much weaker base than sodium
amide.[3]
If the electronegativity of X is somewhere in between, the compound can be ampho
teric, and in that case it can dissociate to ions in both ways, in the former ca
se when reacting with bases, and in the latter case when reacting with acids. Ex
amples of this include aliphatic alcohols, such as ethanol. [3]
Inorganic oxoacids typically have a chemical formula of type HmXOn, where X is s
ome atom functioning as a central atom, whereas parameters m and n depend on the
oxidation state of the element X. In most cases, the element X is a nonmetal, b
ut some metals, for example chromium and manganese, can form oxoacids when occur
ring at their highest oxidation states.[3]
When oxoacids are heated, many of them dissociate to water and the anhydride of
the acid. In most cases, such anhydrides are oxides of nonmetals. For example, c
arbon dioxide, CO2, is the anhydride of carbonic acid, H2CO3, and sulfur trioxid
e, SO3, is the anhydride of sulfuric acid, H2SO4. These anhydrides react quickly
with water and form those oxoacids again.[4]
Many organic acids, like carboxylic acids and phenols, are oxoacids.[3] Their mo

lecular structure, however, is much more complicated than that of inorganic oxoa
cids.
Most of the commonly encountered acids are oxoacids.[3] Indeed, in the 18th cent
ury, Lavoisier assumed that all acids contain oxygen and that oxygen causes thei
r acidity. Because of this, he gave to this element its name, oxygenium, derived
from Greek and meaning acid-maker, which is still, in a more or less modified f
orm, used in most languages.[5] Later, however, Humphry Davy showed that the socalled muriatic acid did not contain oxygen, despite its being a strong acid; in
stead, it is a solution of hydrogen chloride, HCl.[6] Such acids which do not co
ntain oxygen are nowadays known as hydroacids.
Names of inorganic oxoacids[edit]
Many inorganic oxoacids are traditionally called with names ending with the word
acid and which also contain, in a somewhat modified form, the name of the eleme
nt they contain in addition to hydrogen and oxygen. Well-known examples of such
acids are sulfuric acid, nitric acid and phosphoric acid.
This practice is fully well-established, and IUPAC has accepted such names. In l
ight of the current chemical nomenclature, this practice is, however, very excep
tional, because systematic names of all other compounds are formed only accordin
g to what elements they contain and what is their molecular structure, not accor
ding to what other properties (for example, acidity) they have.[7]
IUPAC, however, recommends against calling future compounds not yet discovered w
ith a name ending with the word acid.[7] Indeed, acids can be called with names
formed by adding the word hydrogen in front of the corresponding anion; for exam
ple, sulfuric acid could just as well be called hydrogen sulfate (or dihydrogen
sulfate).[8] In fact, the fully systematic name of sulfuric acid, according to I
UPAC's rules, would be dihydroxidodioxidosulfur and that of the sulfate ion, tet
raoxidosulfate(2-),[9] Such names, however, are almost never used.
However, the same element can form more than one acid when compounded with hydro
gen and oxygen. In such cases, the English practice to distinguish such acids is
to use the suffix -ic in the name of the element in the name of the acid contai
ning more oxygen atoms, and the suffix -ous in the name of the element in the na
me of the acid containing fewer oxygen atoms. Thus, for example, sulfuric acid i
s H2SO4, and sulfurous acid, H2SO3. Analogously, nitric acid is HNO3, and nitrou
s acid, HNO2. If there are more than two oxoacids having the same element as the
central atom, then, in some cases, acids are distinguished by adding the prefix
per- or hypo- to their names. The prefix per-, however, is used only when the c
entral atom is a halogen or a group 7 element.[8] For example, chlorine has the
four following oxoacids
hypochlorous acid HClO
chlorous acid HClO2
chloric acid HClO3
perchloric acid HClO4
The suffix -ite occurs in names of anions and salts derived from acids whose nam
es end to the suffix -ous. On the other hand, the suffix -ate occurs in names of
anions and salts derived from acids whose names end to the suffix -ic. Prefixes
hypo- and per- occur in the name of anions and salts; for example the ion ClO4 is called perchlorate.[8]
In a few cases, the prefixes ortho- and para- occur in names of some oxoacids an
d their derivative anions. In such cases, the para- acid is what can be thought
as remaining of the ortho- acid if a water molecule is separated from the orthoacid molecule. For example, phosphoric acid, H3PO4, has sometimes been called o
rthophosphoric acid, in order to distinguish it from metaphosphoric acid, HPO3.[
8] However, according to IUPAC's current rules, the prefix ortho- should only be

used in names of orthotelluric acid and orthoperiodic acid, and their correspon
ding anions and salts.[10]
Examples[edit]
In the following table, the formula and the name of the anion refer to what rema
ins of the acid when it loses all its hydrogen atoms as protons. Many of these a
cids, however, are polyprotic, and in such cases, there also exists one or more
intermediate anions. In name of such anions, the prefix hydrogen- (in older nome
nclature bi-) is added, with numeral prefixes if needed. For example, SO24 is the sulfate anion, and HSO4, the hydrogensulfate (or bisulfate) anion. Similarly, PO34 is phosphate, HPO24 is hydrogenphosphate, and H
2PO4 is dihydrogenphosphate.
Common oxoacids and their corresponding anions
Element group Element (central atom) Oxidation state Acid formula
e[8][9] Anion formula Anion name
6
Chromium
+6
H
2CrO
4
Chromic acid
CrO24
Chromate
H
2Cr
2O
7
Dichromic acid Cr
2O27
Dichromate
7
Manganese
+7
HMnO
4
Permanganic acid
MnO4
Permanganate
+6
H
2MnO
4
Manganic acid MnO24
Manganate
Technetium
+7
HTcO
4
Pertechnetic acid
TcO4
Pertechnetate
+5
HTcO
3
Technetic acid TcO3
Technetate
Rhenium +7
HReO
4
Perrhenic acid ReO4
Perrhenate
+5
HReO
3
Rhenic acid
ReO3
Rhenate
13
Boron +3
H
3BO
3
Boric acid
(formerly orthoboric acid)[10] BO33
Borate
(formerly orthoborate)
(HBO
2)
n
Metaboric acid BO2
Metaborate
14
Carbon +4
H
2CO

Acid nam

3
Carbonic acid CO23
Carbonate
Silicon +4
H
4SiO
4
Silicic acid
(formerly orthosilicic acid)[10]
SiO44
Silicate (formerly orthosilicate)
H
2SiO
3
Metasilicic acid
SiO23
Metasilicate
14, 15 Carbon, nitrogen
+4, -3 HOCN
Cyanate
HNCO
Isocyanic acid NCOIsocyanate
HONC
Fulminic acid ONCFulminate
15
Nitrogen
+5
HNO
3
Nitric acid
NO3
Nitrate
HNO
4
Peroxynitric acid
NO4
Peroxynitrate
+3
HNO
2
Nitrous acid
NO2
Nitrite
HOONO Peroxynitrous acid
OONOPeroxynitrite
+2
H
2NO
2
Nitroxylic acid NO22
Nitroxylate
+1
H
2N
2O
2
Hyponitrous acid
N
2O22
Hyponitrite
Phosphorus
+5
H
3PO
4
Phosphoric acid
(formerly orthophosphoric acid)[10]
PO34
Phosphate
(orthophosphate)
HPO
3
Metaphosphoric acid
PO3
Metaphosphate
H
4P
2O
7
Pyrophosphoric acid
(diphosphoric acid)
P
2O47
Pyrophosphate
(diphosphate)
H
3PO
5
Peroxomonophosphoric acid
PO33
Peroxomonophosphate
+5, +3 (HO)

Cyanic acid

OCN-

2POPO(OH)
2
Diphosphoric(III,V) acid
2POPOO22
Diphosphate(III,V)
+4
(HO)
2OPPO(OH)
2
Hypophosphoric acid
(diphosphoric(IV) acid) O
2OPPOO42
Hypophosphate
(diphosphate(IV))
+3
H
2PHO
3
Phosphonic acid PHO23
Phosphonate
H
2P
2H
2O
5
Diphosphonic acid
P
2H
2O53
Diphosphonate
+1
HPH
2O
2
Phosphinic acid PH
2O2
Phosphinate
Arsenic +5
H
3AsO
4
Arsenic acid
AsO34
Arsenate
+3
H
3AsO
3
Arsenous acid AsO33
Arsenite
16
Sulfur +6
H
2SO
4
Sulfuric acid SO24
Sulfate
H
2S
2O
7
Disulfuric acid S
2O27
Disulfate
H
2SO
5
Peroxomonosulfuric acid SO25
Peroxomonosulfate
H
2S
2O
8
Peroxodisulfuric acid S
2O28
Peroxodisulfate
+5
H
2S
2O
6
Dithionic acid S

2O26
Dithionate
+5, 0 H
2S
xO
6
Polythionic acids
(x = 3, 4 )
S
xO26
Polythionates
+4
H
2SO
3
Sulfurous acid SO23
Sulfite
H
2S
2O
5
Disulfurous acid
2O25
Disulfite
+4, 0 H
2S
2O
3
Thiosulfuric acid
2O23
Thiosulfate
+3
H
2S
2O
4
Dithionous acid S
2O24
Dithionite
+3, -1 H
2S
2O
2
Thiosulfurous acid
2O22
Thiosulfite
+2
H
2SO
2
Sulfoxylic acid SO22
Sulfoxylate
Selenium
+6
H
2SeO
4
Selenic acid
SeO24
Selenate
+4
H
2SeO
3
Selenous acid SeO23
Selenite
Tellurium
+6
H
2TeO
4
Telluric acid TeO24
Tellurate
H
6TeO
6
Orthotelluric acid
6
Orthotellurate
+4
H
2TeO
3
Tellurous acid TeO2-

TeO6-

3
Tellurite
17
Chlorine
+7
HClO
4
Perchloric acid ClO4
Perchlorate
+5
HClO
3
Chloric acid
ClO3
Chlorate
+3
HClO
2
Chlorous acid ClO2
Chlorite
+1
HClO
Hypochlorous acid
Hypochlorite
Bromine +7
HBrO
4
Perbromic acid BrO4
Perbromate
+5
HBrO
3
Bromic acid
BrO3
Bromate
+3
HBrO
2
Bromous acid
BrO2
Bromite
+1
HBrO
Hypobromous acid
Hypobromite
Iodine +7
HIO
4
Periodic acid IO4
Periodate
H
5IO
6
Orthoperiodic acid
IO56
Orthoperiodate
+5
HIO
3
Iodic acid
IO3
Iodate
+1
HIO
Hypoiodous acid IOHypoiodite

ClO-

BrO-