Hydroxide
The hydroxides of the transition metals and post-transition metals usually have the metal in the +2 (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn) or +3 (M = Fe, Ru, Rh, Ir) oxidation state. None are soluble in water, and many are poorly defined. One complicating feature of the hydroxides is their tendency to undergo further condensation to the oxides, a process called olation. Hydroxides of metals in the +1 oxidation state are also poorly defined or unstable. For example, silver hydroxide Ag(OH) decomposes spontaneously to the oxide (AgO). Copper(I) and gold(I) hydroxides are also unstable, although stable adducts of CuOH and AuOH are known. The polymeric compounds M(OH) and M(OH) are in general prepared by increasing the pH of an aqueous solutions of the corresponding metal cations until the hydroxide precipitates out of solution. On the converse, the hydroxides dissolve in acidic solution. Zinc hydroxide Zn(OH) is amphoteric, forming the tetrahydroxidozincate ion in strongly alkaline solution.
Hydroxide
The mineral malachite is a typical example of a basic carbonate. The formula, CuCO(OH) shows that it is halfway between copper carbonate and copper hydroxide. Indeed, in the past the formula was written as CuCO·Cu(OH). The crystal structure is made up of copper, carbonate and hydroxide ions. The mineral atacamite is an example of a basic chloride. It has the formula, CuCl(OH). In this case the composition is nearer to that of the hydroxide than that of the chloride CuCl·3Cu(OH). Copper forms hydroxyphosphate (libethenite), arsenate (olivenite), sulfate (brochantite), and nitrate compounds. White lead is a basic lead carbonate, (PbCO)·Pb(OH), which has been used as a white pigment because of its opaque quality, though its use is now restricted because it can be a source for lead poisoning.