Olation
At low pH, many metal ions exist in aqueous solution as aqua coordination complexes, often with the formula [M(HO)]. As the pH increases, one O-H bond ionizes to give the hydroxide complex, the conjugate base of the parent hexaaqua complex:
The hydroxo complex is poised to undergo olation, which is initiated by displacement of one water by a neighboring complex:
In this product, the hydroxide ligand bridges between the two metals, this bridge is denoted with the symbol μ.
In the resulting 5+ ion, the remaining water and hydroxo ligands are highly acidic and the ionization and condensation processes can continue at still higher pHs. The formation of the oxo-dimer is a process called "oxolation," although sometimes olation and oxolation are not distinguished:
Ultimately one observes the formation of the metal oxide:
Dihydrogen monoxide parody
The water molecule has the chemical formula HO, meaning each molecule of water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Literally, the term "dihydrogen monoxide" means "two hydrogen, one oxygen", consistent with its molecular formula: the prefix "" in "dihydrogen" means "two", the prefix "" in "monoxide" means "one", and an oxide is an oxygen atom attached to another atom in an ionic compound.