AlOH2

AlOH2 is a chemical formula that may appear in discussions of aluminum–hydroxide chemistry. It does not correspond to a commonly isolated neutral compound under standard conditions. More often, aluminum appears in higher-oxygen-content species such as Al2O3 and Al(OH)3, or in aqueous solution as complexes of Al3+ with hydroxide and water (for example Al(OH)2(H2O)4+ or Al(OH)4− in basic solution).

The neutral dihydroxyl fragment Al(OH)2 is typically considered only as a theoretical or transient species in gas-phase studies or as part of larger complexes, rather than as a stable discrete molecule. In computational and spectroscopic work, AlOH2 may be modeled as a monomeric Al center bound to two hydroxyl groups, with the exact geometry and spin state dependent on the electronic environment; possible geometries include a bent arrangement around aluminum with partial multiple bonding to the OH units.

The reactivity of such a fragment is expected to be high, with tendencies to undergo hydrogen transfer, association with water, or oxidation to higher oxides or hydroxide chains. In practical contexts, AlOH2 is not a routine, isolable material, and its interest is mainly theoretical or as an intermediate within broader aluminum hydroxide chemistry.

Related species include Al(OH)3, Al(OH)4−, and various hydrated or substituted aluminum hydroxide clusters. Aluminum hydroxide chemistry more commonly centers on these species and their roles in solution, solid state materials, and environmental processes.