An iodide ion is I−. Compounds with iodine in formal oxidation state −1 are called iodides. In everyday life, iodide is most commonly encountered as a component of iodized salt, which many governments mandate. Worldwide, iodine deficiency affects two billion people and is the leading preventable cause of intellectual disability.
Most iodide salts are soluble in water, but often less so than the related chlorides and bromides. Iodide, being large, is less hydrophilic compared to the smaller anions. One consequence of this is that sodium iodide is highly soluble in acetone, whereas sodium chloride is not. The low solubility of silver iodide and lead iodide reflects the covalent character of these metal iodides. A test for the presence of iodide ions is the formation of yellow precipitates of these compounds upon treatment of a solution of silver nitrate or lead(II) nitrate.
Aqueous solutions of iodide salts dissolve iodine better than pure water. This effect is due to the formation of the triiodide ion, which is brown:
Because iodide is easily oxidized, some enzymes readily convert it into electrophilic iodinating agents, as required for the biosynthesis of myriad iodide-containing . Iodide can function as an antioxidant redox species that can destroy ozone and reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide:
Redox, including antioxidant properties
Representative iodides
Potassium iodide KI white crystals iodine component of iodized salt Hydrogen iodide HI colourless gas strong mineral acid Silver iodide AgI yellow powder that darkens in light photoactive component of silver-based photographic film Thyroxine
(3,5,3′,5′-tetraiodothyronine)C15H11I4NO4 pale yellow solid hormone essential for human health
Natural occurrence
Other oxoanions
External links
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