Iodine

Description

Iodine, a diatomic molecule (I2), is an oxidizing agent and solutions of it are frequently used in chemical analyses. Iodine suffers from low solubility in water and its volatility makes it difficult to handle directly. Both these problems are overcome by the addition of an Iodide salt (usually Potassium Iodide) which forms a Triiodide (I3–) complex with the Iodine. The Triiodide complex is extremely soluble in water and has decreased volatility.