A permanganate (/pərˈmæŋɡəneɪt, pɜːr-/) is a chemical compound with the manganate(VII) ion, MnO
4, the conjugate base of permanganic acid. Because the manganese atom has a +7 oxidation state, the permanganate(VII) ion is a strong oxidising agent. The ion is a transition metal ion with a tetrahedral structure. Permanganate solutions are purple in colour and are stable in neutral or slightly alkaline media.
⭐ Core Definition: Permanganate
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Permanganate in the context of Potassium permanganate
Potassium permanganate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula KMnO4. It is a purplish-black crystalline salt, which dissolves in water as K and MnO
4 ions to give an intensely pink to purple solution.
Permanganate in the context of Manganate
In inorganic nomenclature, a manganate is any negatively charged molecular entity with manganese as the central atom. However, the name is usually used to refer to the tetraoxidomanganate(2−) anion, MnO
4, also known as manganate(VI) because it contains manganese in the +6 oxidation state. Manganates are the only known manganese(VI) compounds.
Other manganates include hypomanganate or manganate(V), MnO
4, permanganate or manganate(VII), MnO
4, and the dimanganate or dimanganate(III) Mn
2O
6.