hypohalite
File:Hypochlorite-3D-vdW.png (ClO−)]]
A hypohalite is an oxyanion containing a halogen in oxidation state +1.{{Citation needed|date=April 2019}} This includes hypoiodite, hypobromite and hypochlorite. In hypofluorite (oxyfluoride) the fluorine atom is in a −1 oxidation state.
Hypohalites are also encountered in organic chemistry, often as acyl hypohalites (see the Hunsdiecker reaction). Sodium hypohalite is used in the haloform reaction as a test for methyl ketones.Experimental Organic Chemistry: A Miniscale and Microscale Approach by John Gilbert Stephen Martin p. 863
Structure
The Cl-O bond length in crystalline sodium hypochlorite pentahydrate, NaOCl·5H2O, is 1.686 Å, while in sodium hypobromite pentahydrate, NaOBr·5H2O, the Br–O bond length is 8% longer at 1.820 Å.{{ cite journal | title = After 200 Years: The Structure of Bleach and Characterization of Hypohalite Ions by Single-Crystal X-Ray Diffraction | first1 = Filip | last1 = Topić | first2 = Joseph M. |last2 = Marrett | first3 = Tristan H. | last3 = Borchers | first4 = Hatem M. | last4 = Titi | first5 = Christopher J. | last5 = Barrett | first6 = Tomislav | last6 = Friščić | journal = Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. | volume = 60 | issue = 46 | year = 2021 | pages = 24400–24405 | doi = 10.1002/anie.202108843 | pmid = 34293249 | s2cid = 236199263 }}