Tags: Chemical Compound, Chemical Substance.
Hypoiodous acid is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula HIO. It forms when an aqueous solution of iodine is treated with mercuric or silver salts. It rapidly decomposes by disproportionation: 5 HIO → HIO3 + 2I2 + 2H2OHypoiodous acid is a weak acid with a Ka of about 10−11. The conjugate base is hypoiodite (IO−). Salts of this anion can be prepared by treating I2 with alkali hydroxides. They rapidly disproportionate to form iodides and iodates.
