chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

, a tungstate is a

compound Compound may refer to: Architecture and built environments * Compound (enclosure), a cluster of buildings having a shared purpose, usually inside a fence or wall ** Compound (fortification), a version of the above fortified with defensive struct ...

that contains an

oxyanion An oxyanion, or oxoanion, is an ion with the generic formula (where A represents a chemical element and O represents an oxygen atom). Oxyanions are formed by a large majority of the chemical elements. The formulae of simple oxyanions are determine ...

tungsten Tungsten, or wolfram, is a chemical element with the symbol W and atomic number 74. Tungsten is a rare metal found naturally on Earth almost exclusively as compounds with other elements. It was identified as a new element in 1781 and first isolat ...

or is a

mixed oxide In chemistry, a mixed oxide is a somewhat informal name for an oxide that contains cations of more than one chemical element or cations of a single element in several states of oxidation.Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, F. A. Cotton, G. Wilkinson ...

containing tungsten. The simplest tungstate

ion An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by conve ...

is , "orthotungstate". Many other tungstates belong to a large group of polyatomic ions that are termed

polyoxometalate In chemistry, a polyoxometalate (abbreviated POM) is a polyatomic ion, usually an anion, that consists of three or more transition metal oxyanions linked together by shared oxygen atoms to form closed 3-dimensional frameworks. The metal atoms are ...

s, ("POMs"), and specifically termed isopolyoxometalates as they contain, along with oxygen and maybe hydrogen, only one other element. Almost all useful tungsten ores are tungstates.

Structures

Orthotungstates feature tetrahedral W(VI) centres with short W–O distances of 1.79 Å. Structurally, they resemble sulfates. Six-coordinate, octahedral tungsten dominates in the polyoxotungstates. In these compounds, the W–O distances are elongated. Some examples of tungstate ions: * (hydrogentungstate) * polymeric ions of various structures in , and Wells A.F. (1984) ''Structural Inorganic Chemistry'' 5th edition Oxford Science Publications * (paratungstate A) * (tungstate Y)Jon A. McCleverty, N. G. Connelly,Nomenclature of inorganic chemistry II: recommendations 2000, International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry Commission on the Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry, Published by Royal Society of Chemistry, 2001, * (paratungstate B) * (metatungstate) * (tungstate X) See the tungstates category for a list of tungstates.

Occurrence

Tungstates occur naturally with

molybdate In chemistry a molybdate is a compound containing an oxoanion with molybdenum in its highest oxidation state of 6. Molybdenum can form a very large range of such oxoanions which can be discrete structures or polymeric extended structures, althou ...

Scheelite Scheelite is a calcium tungstate mineral with the chemical formula Ca W O4. It is an important ore of tungsten (wolfram). Scheelite is originally named after Swedish chemist K. Scheele (1742-1786). Well-formed crystals are sought by collectors a ...

, the mineral calcium tungstate, often contains a small amount of molybdate.

Wolframite Wolframite is an iron, manganese, and tungstate mineral with a chemical formula of that is the intermediate between ferberite ( rich) and hübnerite ( rich). Along with scheelite, the wolframite series are the most important tungsten ore minerals ...

is manganese and iron tungstate, and all these are valuable sources of tungsten.

Powellite Powellite is a calcium molybdate mineral with formula CaMoO4. Powellite crystallizes with tetragonal - dipyramidal crystal structure as transparent adamantine blue, greenish brown, yellow to grey typically anhedral forms. It exhibits distinct cle ...

is a mineral form of calcium molybdate containing a small amount of tungstate.

Reactions

Solutions of tungstates, like those of

molybdates In chemistry a molybdate is a compound containing an oxoanion with molybdenum in its highest oxidation state of 6. Molybdenum can form a very large range of such oxoanions which can be discrete structures or polymeric extended structures, althou ...

, give intensely blue solutions of complex tungstate(V,VI) analogous to the

molybdenum blue Molybdenum blue is a term applied to: *reduced heteropolymolybdate complexes, polyoxometalates containing Mo(V), Mo(VI), and a hetero atom such as phosphorus or silicon *reduced isopolymolybdate complexes, polyoxometalates containing Mo(V), Mo(VI) ...

s when reduced by most organic materials. Unlike chromate, tungstate is not a good

oxidizer An oxidizing agent (also known as an oxidant, oxidizer, electron recipient, or electron acceptor) is a substance in a redox chemical reaction that gains or " accepts"/"receives" an electron from a (called the , , or ). In other words, an oxid ...

, but like chromate, solutions of tungstate condense to give the isopolytungstates upon acidification.

References

{{reflist Transition metal oxyanions