Chromate and dichromate

Chromate salts contain the chromate anion, CrO2−4. Dichromate salts contain the dichromate anion, Cr2O2−7. They are oxoanions of chromium in the 6+ oxidation state and are moderately strong oxidizing agents. In an aqueous solution, chromate and dichromate ions can be interconvertible.potassium chromatepotassium dichromate Chromate salts contain the chromate anion, CrO2−4. Dichromate salts contain the dichromate anion, Cr2O2−7. They are oxoanions of chromium in the 6+ oxidation state and are moderately strong oxidizing agents. In an aqueous solution, chromate and dichromate ions can be interconvertible. Chromates react with hydrogen peroxide giving products in which peroxide, O2−2, replaces one or more oxygen atoms. In acid solution the unstable blue peroxo complex Chromium(VI) oxide peroxide, CrO(O2)2, is formed; it is an uncharged covalent molecule which may be extracted into ether. Addition of pyridine results in the formation of the more stable complex CrO(O2)2py. In aqueous solution, chromate and dichromate anions exist in a chemical equilibrium. The predominance diagram shows that the position of the equilibrium depends on both pH and the analytical concentration of chromium. The chromate ion is the predominant species in alkaline solutions, but dichromate can become the predominant ion in acidic solutions. Further condensation reactions can occur in strongly acidic solution with the formation of trichromates, Cr3O2−10, and tetrachromates, Cr4O2−13. All polyoxyanions of chromium(VI) have structures made up of tetrahedral CrO4 units sharing corners. The hydrogen chromate ion, HCrO4−, is a weak acid: