What is the name of the compound with the formula KClO
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The compound with the formula KClO is called potassium hypochlorite.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of the naming process:
- K (Potassium): Potassium is an alkali metal in Group 1 of the periodic table. When potassium forms ionic compounds, it typically donates one electron to form a K+ ion.
- ClO (Hypochlorite): The formula ClO represents the hypochlorite ion. This ion consists of one chlorine (Cl) atom bonded to one oxygen (O) atom. The chlorine is in the +1 oxidation state, and the oxygen atom has a -1 charge. This is different from other chlorinated ions such as chloride (Cl-) and chlorate (ClO3-), where chlorine has different oxidation states.
- Naming Conventions: In ionic compounds, the metal cation is named first, followed by the anion. The potassium ion is named potassium, and the hypochlorite ion is named hypochlorite.
- Why “Hypochlorite”? The prefix “hypo-” is used because hypochlorite is the compound with the chlorine in the lowest oxidation state (+1) among the various chlorine-oxygen species. In comparison:
- Chloride (Cl-) has no oxygen, and chlorine is in the 0 oxidation state.
- Chlorite (ClO2-) has chlorine in the +3 oxidation state.
- Chlorate (ClO3-) has chlorine in the +5 oxidation state.
- Perchlorate (ClO4-) has chlorine in the +7 oxidation state.
- Formula and Structure: Potassium hypochlorite has the formula KClO, where potassium (K) is bonded to the hypochlorite ion (ClO-). In an aqueous solution, potassium hypochlorite can be used as a disinfectant, and it is often found in bleach products.
Thus, the correct name for KClO is potassium hypochlorite.
