Recently I came across [this question][1] and in the comment section, there was an argument regarding the formula of sodium hypoiodite which kept me wandering: what is the actual formula of alkali hypohalite: MOX or MXO? There seems to be an inconsistency in the formula, somewhere it is written MOX and in other places, it is written MXO. In the wikipedia article of sodium hypochlorite, sometimes it is written $\ce{NaOCl}$ and at sometimes it is written $\ce{NaClO}$. This is what was written in the brief:- [![enter image description here][2]][2] I think the formula of alkali hypohalite should be MOX because since the negative charge bears over the oxygen atom, it accepts the electron coming from the alkali metal ion and forms a duplet and thus forming ionic bond. [![enter image description here][3]][3] Is my assumption correct? What is the correct formula of alikali hypohalite? [1]: https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/53529/sulfamethoxazol-detection-reaction-with-naoh-phenol-naoi [2]: https://i.sstatic.net/AXmf0.png [3]: https://i.sstatic.net/hHHFM.png