Potassium peroxochromate, or potassium tetraperoxochromate(V), is an inorganic

Inorganic compound

Inorganic compounds have traditionally been considered to be of inanimate, non-biological origin. In contrast, organic compounds have an explicit biological origin. However, over the past century, the classification of inorganic vs organic compounds has become less important to scientists,...

 chemical having the chemical formula

Chemical formula

A chemical formula or molecular formula is a way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound....

 K₃[Cr(O₂)₄]. A crystalline ionic solid with a brown color, it is the potassium salt of tetraperoxochromate(V), one of the few examples of chromium in the +5 oxidation state.

Preparation

Potassium peroxochromate is prepared by reacting hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is the simplest peroxide and an oxidizer. Hydrogen peroxide is a clear liquid, slightly more viscous than water. In dilute solution, it appears colorless. With its oxidizing properties, hydrogen peroxide is often used as a bleach or cleaning agent...

 with potassium chromate

Potassium chromate

Potassium chromate is a yellow chemical indicator used for identifying concentrations of chloride ions in a salt solution with silver nitrate...

at low temperatures:

2 + 8 → 2 + 8

The intermediate tetraperoxochromate(VI) is reduced by hydrogen peroxide, forming tetraperoxochromate(V):

2 + 2 + → 2 + 2 +

Thus, the overall reaction is:

2 + 9 + 2 → 2 + 10 +

The compound decomposes spontaneously at higher temperatures.