Chemistry:Metallate

Metallate or metalate is the name given to any complex anion containing a metal ligated to several atoms or small groups. Typically, the metal will be one of the transition elements and the ligand will be oxygen or another chalcogenide or a cyanide group (though others are known). The chalcogenide metallates are known as oxometallates, thiometallates, selenometallates and tellurometallates; the cyanide metallates are known as cyanometallates.

Oxometallates include permanganate (MnO−4), chromate (CrO2−4) and vanadate (VO−3 or VO3−4).

Thiometallates include tetrathiovanadate (VS3−4), tetrathiomolybdate (MoS2−4), tetrathiotungstate (WS2−4) and similar ions.

Cyanometallates include ferricyanide and ferrocyanide.

Metallate is also used as a verb by bioinorganic chemistry to describe the act of adding metal atoms or ions to a site (synthetic ligand or protein).