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Hydroxide

Chemical compound / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Hydroxide is a diatomic anion with chemical formula OH. It consists of an oxygen and hydrogen atom held together by a single covalent bond, and carries a negative electric charge. It is an important but usually minor constituent of water. It functions as a base, a ligand, a nucleophile, and a catalyst. The hydroxide ion forms salts, some of which dissociate in aqueous solution, liberating solvated hydroxide ions. Sodium hydroxide is a multi-million-ton per annum commodity chemical. The corresponding electrically neutral compound HO is the hydroxyl radical. The corresponding covalently bound group –OH of atoms is the hydroxy group. Both the hydroxide ion and hydroxy group are nucleophiles and can act as catalysts in organic chemistry.

Quick facts: Names, Identifiers, Properties, Related compo...
Hydroxide
Lewis structure of the hydroxide ion showing three lone pairs on the oxygen atom
Space-filling representation of the hydroxide ion
Ball-and-stick model of the hydroxide ion
Names
Preferred IUPAC name
Hydroxide
Systematic IUPAC name
Oxidanide
Other names
Hydrogenoxide
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChemSpider
UNII
  • InChI=1S/H2O/h1H2/p-1
  • [OH-]
Properties
OH
Molar mass 17.007 g·mol−1
Conjugate acid Water
Conjugate base Oxide anion
Related compounds
Related compounds
O2H+
OH
O22−
H2O
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Many inorganic substances which bear the word hydroxide in their names are not ionic compounds of the hydroxide ion, but covalent compounds which contain hydroxy groups.