Hypohalite

A hypohalite is an oxyanion containing a halogen in oxidation state +1.

[citation needed] This includes hypoiodite, hypobromite and hypochlorite.

In hypofluorite (oxyfluoride) the fluorine atom is in a −1 oxidation state.

Sodium hypohalite is used in the haloform reaction as a test for methyl ketones.

[1] The Cl-O bond length in crystalline sodium hypochlorite pentahydrate, NaOCl·5H2O, is 1.686 Å, while in sodium hypobromite pentahydrate, NaOBr·5H2O, the Br–O bond length is 8% longer at 1.820 Å.