[3][4] Or, similarly, from iodides by oxidation with bromine and sodium hydroxide: Modern industrial scale production involves the electrochemical oxidation of iodates, on a lead dioxide (PbO2) anode, with the following standard electrode potential: Sodium metaperiodate can be prepared by the dehydration of sodium hydrogen periodate with nitric acid.
Sodium metaperiodate (NaIO4) forms tetragonal crystals (space group I41/a) consisting of slightly distorted IO−4 ions with average I–O bond distances of 1.775 Å; the Na+ ions are surrounded by 8 oxygen atoms at distances of 2.54 and 2.60 Å.
[6] Sodium hydrogen periodate (Na2H3IO6) forms orthorhombic crystals (space group Pnnm).
[8] Sodium periodate can be used in solution to open saccharide rings between vicinal diols leaving two aldehyde groups.
[9] In 2013 the US Army announced that it would replace environmentally harmful chemicals barium nitrate and potassium perchlorate with sodium metaperiodate for use in their tracer ammunition.