An iodate is a conjugate base of iodic acid

Iodic acid

Iodic acid, HIO3, can be obtained as a white solid. It dissolves in water very well, but it also exists in the pure state, as opposed to chloric acid or bromic acid. Iodic acid contains iodine in the oxidation state +5 and it is one of the most stable oxo-acids of the halogens in its pure state....

. In the iodate anion, iodine

Iodine

Iodine is a chemical element with the symbol I and atomic number 53. The name is pronounced , , or . The name is from the , meaning violet or purple, due to the color of elemental iodine vapor....

 is bonded to three oxygen

Oxygen

Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...

 atoms and the molecular formula is IO₃⁻. The molecular geometry of iodate is trigonal pyramidal.

iodate can be obtained by reducing

Redox

Redox reactions describe all chemical reactions in which atoms have their oxidation state changed....

 periodate

Periodate

Periodate is an anion composed of iodine and oxygen. Periodates include two forms. The metaperiodate ion is IO4−; the orthoperiodate ion is IO65−. Usually both forms are called periodates. Periodate is the conjugate base of periodic acid....

 with a thioether

Thioether

A thioether is a functional group in organosulfur chemistry with the connectivity C-S-C as shown on right. Like many other sulfur-containing compounds, volatile thioethers have foul odors. A thioether is similar to an ether except that it contains a sulfur atom in place of the oxygen...

. The byproduct of the reaction is a sulfoxide

Sulfoxide

A sulfoxide is a chemical compound containing a sulfinyl functional group attached to two carbon atoms. Sulfoxides can be considered as oxidized sulfides...

.

iodates are a class of chemical compound

Chemical compound

A chemical compound is a pure chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemical elements that can be separated into simpler substances by chemical reactions. Chemical compounds have a unique and defined chemical structure; they consist of a fixed ratio of atoms that are held together...

s containing this group. Examples are sodium iodate

Sodium iodate

Sodium iodate is the sodium salt of iodic acid. Sodium iodate is an oxidizing agent and as such it can cause fires upon contact with combustible materials or reducing agents.-Preparation:...

 (NaIO₃), silver iodate

Silver iodate

Silver iodate is a white crystal composed of silver, iodine and oxygen. Unlike most metal iodates, it is insoluble in water.Silver iodate can be obtained by reacting silver nitrate with sodium iodate. The by-product of the reaction is sodium nitrate....

 (AgIO₃), and calcium iodate

Calcium iodate

Calcium iodate is a compound of calcium and iodate anion. Its formula is Ca2. It is used as a dough conditioner. Calcium iodate is an oxidant added to lotions and ointments as an antiseptic and deodorant. It may be formed by the anodic oxidation of calcium iodide....

 (Ca(IO₃)₂). iodates resemble chlorate

Chlorate

The chlorate anion has the formula ClO. In this case, the chlorine atom is in the +5 oxidation state. "Chlorate" can also refer to chemical compounds containing this anion; chlorates are the salts of chloric acid. "Chlorate", when followed by a roman numeral in parentheses, e.g...

s with iodine instead of chlorine.

In acid conditions, iodic acid

Iodic acid

Iodic acid, HIO3, can be obtained as a white solid. It dissolves in water very well, but it also exists in the pure state, as opposed to chloric acid or bromic acid. Iodic acid contains iodine in the oxidation state +5 and it is one of the most stable oxo-acids of the halogens in its pure state....

 is formed. Potassium hydrogen iodate (KH(IO₃)₂) is a double salt

Double salt

Double salts are salts containing more than one cation or anion. They form when more than one salt is dissolved in a liquid and when together they crystallize in a regular pattern. A well-known double salt is alum containing two cations and a sulfate anion...

 of potassium iodate and iodic acid and an acid

Acid

An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...

 as well. Iodates are used in the iodine clock reaction

Iodine clock reaction

The iodine clock reaction is a classical chemical clock demonstration experiment to display chemical kinetics in action; it was discovered by Hans Heinrich Landolt in 1886. Two colorless solutions are mixed and at first there is no visible reaction...

.