Hidrido

Hidrido, in chemistry commonly translated as hydride in English, refers to a chemical species that contains hydrogen in the -1 oxidation state or acts as a hydride donor. Hydrido compounds span a range from simple binary hydrides to complex organometallic species. In many contexts the hydrogen atom behaves as H−, but hydrido meaning can vary with bonding and oxidation state, from ionic solids to covalent molecules and ligands in metal complexes.

Binary ionic hydrides are compounds of hydrogen with electropositive metals, such as sodium hydride (NaH) and calcium hydride (CaH2). These materials are typically ionic solids and can release hydrogen gas upon contact with water or acids. Covalent or molecular hydrides include species like methane (CH4), ammonia (NH3), water (H2O), and borane (BH3), which feature shared H–M or H–H bonding and diverse bonding strengths.

In coordination and organometallic chemistry, hydrido ligands refer to hydrogen atoms bound to a metal center as H−. Hydride ligands are common in catalytic cycles, including hydrogenation and hydrofunctionalization, and can be generated by deprotonation, hydride transfer reagents, or catalytic processes. Examples of hydrido-containing complexes appear across transition-metal chemistry and catalysis research.

Uses and applications extend from reducing agents to hydrogen storage materials. Reducing hydrides such as lithium aluminium hydride (LiAlH4) and sodium borohydride (NaBH4) are widely used to reduce carbonyl compounds. Certain metal hydrides store hydrogen reversibly, offering relevance to energy storage, while reactive hydrides require careful handling due to their reactivity with moisture and air.