Suboxide
Sign in to saveSuboxides are a class of oxides wherein the electropositive element is in excess relative to the “normal” oxides. When the electropositive element is a metal, the compounds are sometimes referred to as “metal-rich”. Thus the normal oxide of caesium is Cs2O, which is described as a Cs+ salt of O2−. A suboxide of caesium is Cs11O3, where the charge on Cs is clearly less than 1+, but the oxide is still described as O2−. Suboxides typically feature extensive bonding between the electropositive element, often leading to clusters.
Article
4 sectionsContents
- Metal-containing suboxides
- Carbon suboxide
- Related compounds
- References
Suboxides are a class of oxides wherein the electropositive element is in excess relative to the “normal” oxides. When the electropositive element is a metal, the compounds are sometimes referred to as “metal-rich”. Thus the normal oxide of caesium is Cs2O, which is described as a Cs+ salt of O2−. A suboxide of caesium is Cs11O3, where the charge on Cs is clearly less than 1+, but the oxide is still described as O2−. Suboxides typically feature extensive bonding between the electropositive element, often leading to clusters.
Examples of suboxides other than alkali metal derivatives: Carbon suboxide, C3O2; Boron suboxide, B6O; Phosphorus suboxide, PO; Titanium suboxides, TiO, Ti2O3, Ti3O5, Ti4O7, and Ti5O9.