Oxoanion nomenclature
 SO32– sulfite |
 PO43– phosphate |
 CO32– carbonate |
Oxoanions are an important group of negatively charged polyatomic ions. The oxygen of the structural element =O is referred to as an oxo group.
The structures of some common mononuclear oxoanions are shown.
Mononuclear oxoanions have one central atom surrounded by oxygen atoms.
Chemists usually represent oxoanions either by their formulae or by their name.
The structures of some common mononuclear oxoanions are shown.
Mononuclear oxoanions have one central atom surrounded by oxygen atoms.
Chemists usually represent oxoanions either by their formulae or by their name.
The names of these ions
- contain all (for example, carbon) or part (for example, sulf) of the name of the central element.
- end with either -ate or -ite.
For some ions the prefixes per- or hypo- or di- precede the element name.