Dithionite

Not to be confused with dithionate.
The unusual structure of the dithionite anion. It has a remarkably long sulfur-sulfur bond.
A ball-and-stick model of the dithionite ion.

The dithionite is the oxyanion with the formula [S2O4]2−.[1] It is commonly encountered as the salt sodium dithionite. For historical reasons, it is sometimes called hydrosulfite, but it contains no hydrogen and is not a sulfite.[2] The dianion has a steric number of 4 and trigonal pyramidal geometry.

  1. ^ International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (2005). Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 2005). Cambridge (UK): RSC–IUPAC. ISBN 0-85404-438-8. p. 130. Electronic version.
  2. ^ José Jiménez Barberá; Adolf Metzger; Manfred Wolf (2000). "Sulfites, Thiosulfates, and Dithionites". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a25_477. ISBN 978-3527306732.