Hydroxide
Hydroxide is a diatomic anion with chemical formula OH−. It consists of an oxygen and hydrogen atom held together by a covalent bond, and carries a negative electric charge. It is an important but usually minor constituent of water. It functions as a base, a ligand, a nucleophile, and a catalyst. The hydroxide ion forms salts, some of which dissociate in aqueous solution, liberating solvated hydroxide ions. Sodium hydroxide is a multi-million-ton per annum commodity chemical. A hydroxide attached to a strongly electropositive center may itself ionize, liberating a hydrogen cation (H+), making the parent compound an acid.
The corresponding electrically neutral compound HO• is the hydroxyl radical. The corresponding covalently-bound group –OH of atoms is the hydroxy group.
Hydroxide ion and hydroxy group are nucleophiles and can act as a catalysts in organic chemistry.
Many inorganic substances which bear the word “hydroxide” in their names are not ionic compounds of the hydroxide ion, but covalent compounds which contain hydroxy groups.
Hydroxide (noun)
An univalent anion (OH–) based on the hydroxyl functional group.
Hydroxide (noun)
Any substance containing such an anion.
Hydroxyl (noun)
A univalent radical or functional group (–OH) in organic chemistry; present in alcohols, phenols, carboxylic acids and certain other classes of compounds.