Dithionic acid
Chemical compound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dithionic acid, H2S2O6, is the inorganic compound with the formula H2S2O6. It is the doubly protonated derivative of dithionate, a well-characterized dianion. Dithionic acid is mainly observed and characterized as an aqueous solution.[3]
| Names | |
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| IUPAC name
dithionic acid[1] | |
| Other names
hypodisulfuric acid | |
| Identifiers | |
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| Properties | |
| H2S2O6 | |
| Molar mass | 162.14 g mol−1 |
| Acidity (pKa) | −3.4 (estimated)[2] |
| Conjugate base | Dithionate |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Synthesis
Dithionates can be made by oxidizing a sulfite (from the +4 to the +5 oxidation state), but on a larger scale they are made by oxidizing a cooled aqueous solution of sulfur dioxide with manganese dioxide:
- 2 MnO2 + 3 SO2 → MnS2O6 + MnSO4
The manganese dithionate solution formed can then be converted to dithionate salts of other metals by metathesis reactions:
- Ba2+ (aq) + MnS2O6 (aq) + MnSO4 (aq) → BaSO4 (s)↓ + BaS2O6 · 2 H2O (aq)
Concentrated solutions of dithionic acid can subsequently be obtained treating a barium dithionate solution with sulfuric acid:
- BaS2O6 (aq) + H2SO4 (aq) → H2S2O6 (aq) + BaSO4 (s)↓
See also
- Sodium dithionate
- Hypophosphoric acid, the phosphorus equivalent.

