Hydrogen-containing oxoanions: Oxoanions may also have hydrogen bonded to one of the oxygen atoms.
These oxoanions can be thought of as arising either from
successive removal of H+ from the polyprotic oxoacids which have the formulae shown to the left or
successive addition of H+ to the corresponding oxoanion.
H3PO4 → H2PO4– (dihydrogenphosphate ion) → HPO42– (hydrogenphosphate ion) → PO43–
H2SO4 → HSO4– (hydrogensulfate ion) → SO42–
H2CO3 → HCO3– (hydrogencarbonate ion) → CO32–
H2SO3 → HSO3– (hydrogensulfite ion) → SO32–
Polyatomic cations: Two important polyatomic cations are derived from addition of H
+ to the molecules H
2O and NH
3 (ammonia).
Note that both of these cations have an -
ium ending.
NH4+ (ammonium) H3O+ (hydronium)
Polynuclear oxoanions: Some elements form oxyanions containing two atoms of the element.
Two are sufficiently common to be on the "must learn" list.
S2O32– (thiosulfate) Cr2O72– (dichromate)
Note that thiosulfate is sulfate (SO42–) with one of the oxygen atoms replaced by sulfur.