Oxoacids and their salts Hypofluorous acid, HOF

   Fluorine is unique among the halogens in forming no species in which it has a formal oxidation state other than ^_1. The only known oxoacid is hypofluorous acid, HOF, which is unstable and does not ionize in water but reacts according to equation 1.1; no salts are known. It is obtained by passing F₂ over ice at 230K (equation 1.2) and condensing the gas produced. At 298 K, HOF decomposes rapidly (equation 1.3).

                     (1.1)

                   (1.2)

                                   (1.3)