Potassium hypomanganate is the inorganic compound with the formula K3MnO4. Also known as potassium manganate(V), this bright blue solid is a rare example of a salt with the hypomanganate or manganate(V) anion, where the manganese atom is in the +5 oxidation state. It is an intermediate in the production of potassium permanganate and the industrially most important Mn(V) compound.[2]
The solid salt can be produced by the reaction of potassium carbonate and manganese carbonate in the presence of oxygen at 800 °C.[3] However, in the industrial process of producing potassium permanganate, it is produced by fusing manganese dioxide and potassium hydroxide. The resulting hypomanganate further reacts with water to produce manganate.[2]
A solution of potassium hypomanganate is produced:
by disproportionation when manganese dioxide is dissolved in a concentrated solution of potassium hydroxide;[5]
2 MnO2 + 3 OH− → MnO3−4 + MnOOH + H2O
The compound is unstable due to the tendency of the hypomanganate anion to disproportionate in all but the most alkaline solutions.[5][6]
References
^ abLee, Donald G.; Chen, Tao (1993), "Reduction of manganate(VI) by mandelic acid and its significance for development of a general mechanism of oxidation of organic compounds by high-valent transition metal oxides", J. Am. Chem. Soc., 115 (24): 11231–36, doi:10.1021/ja00077a023.
^H. Peters; K.-H. Radeke; L. Till (1966). "Über das thermische Verhalten von Kaliummanganat(V), -(VI) und -(VII)" [About the thermal behavior of potassium manganate(V), -(VI) and -(VII)]. Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie (in German). 346 (1–2): 1–11. doi:10.1002/zaac.19663460102.
^Lee, Donald G.; Chen, Tao (1989), "Oxidation of hydrocarbons. 18. Mechanism of the reaction between permanganate and carbon-carbon double bonds", J. Am. Chem. Soc., 111 (19): 7534–38, doi:10.1021/ja00201a039.