Is iodate a strongly hydrated cation?
We show, through a combination of density function theory-based molecular dynamics simulations (DFT-MD) and experimental X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (XAFS) studies, that the iodate ion (IO 3 -) contains a local region that is strongly hydrated as a cation. The local region adjoining the I atom is sufficiently electropositive that three hydrating waters are oriented with their O at
