Pyrosilicate (original) (raw)

A pyrosilicate is a type of chemical compound; either an ionic compound that contains the pyrosilicate anion Si2O6−7, or an organic compound with the hexavalent ≡O3Si-O-SiO3≡ group. The anion is also called disilicate or diorthosilicate. Ionic pyrosilicates can be considered salts of the unstable pyrosilicic acid, H6Si2O7. Unlike the acid, the salts can be stable. Indeed, pyrosilicates occur widely in nature as a class of silicate minerals, specifically the sorosilicates. Some notable synthetic pyrosilicates include