Pyrosilicate
| Names | |
|---|---|
| IUPAC name Pyrosilicate | |
| Other names disilicate, diorthosilicate | |
| Identifiers | |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
| ChEBI | |
| ChemSpider | |
| 326578 | |
| PubChem CID | |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
| 
 | |
| 
 | |
| Properties | |
| O7Si2−6 | |
| Molar mass | 168.166 g·mol−1 | 
| Conjugate acid | Pyrosilicic acid | 
| Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).  (what is  ?)
 Infobox references | |
A pyrosilicate is a type of chemical compound; either an ionic compound that contains the pyrosilicate anion Si
2O6−
7, or an organic compound with the hexavalent  ≡O
3Si-O-SiO
3≡ group. The anion is also called disilicate or diorthosilicate.
Ionic pyrosilicates can be considered salts of the unstable pyrosilicic acid, H
6Si
2O
7.  Unlike the acid, the salts can be stable.  Indeed, pyrosilicates occur widely in nature as a class of silicate minerals, specifically the sorosilicates - though some sorosilicate minerals, such as gehlenite, replace one of the silicon atoms with tetracoordinated aluminium or boron, giving the isostructural anions AlSiO7−7 and BSiO7−7.
Some notable synthetic pyrosilicates include
- sodium pyrosilicate Na
 6Si
 2O
 7, a possible component of water glass.
- sodium iron(II) pyrosilicate Na
 2Fe
 2Si
 2O
 7, a potential cathode material for batteries.
- sodium manganese(II) pyrosilicate Na
 2Mn
 2Si
 2O
 7, another potential cathode material.