Dithionic acid

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Dithionic acid( H₂S₂O₆) is known only in solution. The acid is dibasic and salts called dithionates are known. No acid salt exist. Dithionates can be made by oxidizing a sulphite, but on a larger scale they are made by oxidizing a cooled aqueous solution of sulfur dioxide with MnO₂ 2MnO₂ + 3SO₂ → Mn₂O₆ + MnSO₄

Most dithionates are readily soluble in water. They are mild oxidising and mild reducing agents The structure of dithionate ion is like ethane, but two SO₃ groups adopt an almost eclipsed conformation. The S—S length is 2.15Å S—O bonds are rather short with bond length of 1.43Å.