Potassium periodate

Potassium periodate has formula KIO₄.

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Density is 3,618 kg m^-3. It melts at 581.85 °C and has a molecular weight of 230.0 g/mol.

It is slightly soluble in water (one of the less soluble of potassium salts, owing to a large anion), giving rise to a solution that is slightly alkaline. On heating (especially with manganese(IV) oxide as catalyst), it decomposes to form potassium iodate, releasing oxygen gas.

The low solubility of KIO₄ makes it useful for the determination of potassium.

Note that the pronunciation is per-iodate, not period-ate.