Iodine dioxide

Iodine dioxide
Names
Other names
dioxidoiodide, iodyl, iodoxy radical, iodine peroxide, iodine superoxide
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChemSpider
404604
  • InChI=1S/IO2/c2-1-3
    Key: WXDJHDMIIZKXSK-UHFFFAOYSA-N
  • O=I[O]
Properties
IO2
Molar mass 158.902 g·mol−1
Appearance yellow solid
Density 4.2 g/cm3
Melting point 130 °C (266 °F; 403 K)
reacts with water
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
Infobox references

Iodine dioxide is a binary inorganic compound of iodine and oxygen with the chemical formula IO
2
. Only stable as a dilute gas, this compound is one of many iodine oxides, and "iodine dioxide" is sometimes used to describe its formal dimer, the salt diiodine tetroxide (I2O4, [IO]+[IO3]).

It is formed, in parts-per-trillion quantities, at the marine boundary layer and believed to mediate particulate nucleation therein. The iodine, originally from algaeic diiodomethane, is photooxidized to iodine monoxide, which then disproportionates to free iodine atoms and iodine dioxide. At a sufficiently large concentration, the particles then combine to form small grains of diiodine tetroxide.