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corrected chemical formula.
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Oscar Lanzi
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Why does hypophosphoric acid has a strange name? My knowledge of inorganic nomenclature tells me that the prefix "per-" should be used with "-ic" acids and the prefix "hypo-" goes with "-ous" acids, which isn't the case here. Why is this so?

Just as part of an additional observation, two other things which I find strange about $\ce{H2P2O6}$$\ce{H4P2O6}$ are:

  • I think this is the only oxy-acid of phosphorus having a $\ce{P-P}$ bond.
  • It has phosphorus in $+4$ oxidation state.

Why does hypophosphoric acid has a strange name? My knowledge of inorganic nomenclature tells me that the prefix "per-" should be used with "-ic" acids and the prefix "hypo-" goes with "-ous" acids, which isn't the case here. Why is this so?

Just as part of an additional observation, two other things which I find strange about $\ce{H2P2O6}$ are:

  • I think this is the only oxy-acid of phosphorus having a $\ce{P-P}$ bond.
  • It has phosphorus in $+4$ oxidation state.

Why does hypophosphoric acid has a strange name? My knowledge of inorganic nomenclature tells me that the prefix "per-" should be used with "-ic" acids and the prefix "hypo-" goes with "-ous" acids, which isn't the case here. Why is this so?

Just as part of an additional observation, two other things which I find strange about $\ce{H4P2O6}$ are:

  • I think this is the only oxy-acid of phosphorus having a $\ce{P-P}$ bond.
  • It has phosphorus in $+4$ oxidation state.
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Oscar Lanzi
  • 62.6k
  • 4
  • 96
  • 187

Why does hypophosphoric acid has a strange name? My knowledge of inorganic nomenclature tells me that the prefix "per-" should be used with "-ic" acids and the prefix "hypo-" goes with "-ous" acids, which isn't the case here. Why is this so?

Just as a part of an additional observation, two other things which I find strange about $\ce{H2P2O6}$ are:

  • I think this is the only oxy-acid of phosphorus having a $\ce{P-P}$ bond.
  • It has phosphorus in $+4$ oxidation state.

Why does hypophosphoric acid has a strange name? My knowledge of inorganic nomenclature tells me that the prefix "per-" should be used with "-ic" acids and the prefix "hypo-" goes with "-ous" acids, which isn't the case here. Why is this so?

Just as a part of an additional observation, two other things which I find strange about $\ce{H2P2O6}$ are:

  • I think this is the only oxy-acid of phosphorus having a $\ce{P-P}$ bond.
  • It has phosphorus in $+4$ oxidation state.

Why does hypophosphoric acid has a strange name? My knowledge of inorganic nomenclature tells me that the prefix "per-" should be used with "-ic" acids and the prefix "hypo-" goes with "-ous" acids, which isn't the case here. Why is this so?

Just as part of an additional observation, two other things which I find strange about $\ce{H2P2O6}$ are:

  • I think this is the only oxy-acid of phosphorus having a $\ce{P-P}$ bond.
  • It has phosphorus in $+4$ oxidation state.
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Berry Holmes
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