H 5 IO 6 + H + + 2 e − ⟶ IO 3 − + 3 H 2 O {\displaystyle {\ce {H5IO6 + H+ + 2e- -> IO3- + 3 H2O}}} E° = 1.

The structure of metaperiodic acid also includes IO 6 octahedra, however these are connected via cis-edge-sharing with bridging oxygens to form one-dimensional infinite chains. Periodate is part of a series of oxyacids in which iodine can assume oxidation states of −1, +1, +3, +5, or +7. It is one of a number of oxyanions of iodine and is the highest in the series, with iodine existing in oxidation state +7. It can exist in two forms: orthoperiodic acid, with the chemical formula H 5IO 6, and metaperiodic acid, which has the formula HIO 4.

Orthoperiodic acid forms monoclinic crystals ( space group P2 1/ n) consisting of a slightly deformed IO 6 octahedron interlinked via bridging hydrogens.

This process is often used in labeling saccharides with fluorescent molecules or other tags such as biotin. Periodic acid is also used as an oxidising agent of moderate strength, as exemplified in the Babler oxidation of secondary allyl alcohols which are oxidised to enones by stoichiometric amounts of orthoperiodic acid with catalyst PCC. This is commercially available, but can also be produced by the oxidation of iodates with chlorine and sodium hydroxide.Orthoperiodic acid can be dehydrated to give metaperiodic acid by heating to 100°C under reduced pressure. This can be useful in determining the structure of carbohydrates as periodic acid can be used to open saccharide rings. Further heating to around 150°C gives iodine pentoxide ( I 2O 5) rather than the expected anhydride diiodine heptoxide ( I 2O 7). Periodic acid ( / ˌ p ɜːr aɪ ˈ ɒ d ɪ k/ per-eye- OD-ik) is the highest oxoacid of iodine, in which the iodine exists in oxidation state +7. H 3 IO 6 2 − ↽ − − ⇀ H 2 IO 6 3 − + H + {\displaystyle {\ce {H3IO6

It can combine with a number of counter ions to form periodates, which may also be regarded as the salts of periodic acid.F. Holleman; continued by Egon Wiberg; translated by Mary Eagleson, William Brewer; revised by Bernhard J. Because the process requires vicinal diols, periodate oxidation is often used to selectively label the 3′-termini of RNA ( ribose has vicinal diols) instead of DNA as deoxyribose does not have vicinal diols. Most notably periodic acid will cleave vicinal diols into two aldehyde or ketone fragments ( Malaprade reaction).