The iminodisulfonate, [N(SO
3
)
2
]
3–
, and phosphinodisulfonate, [P(SO
3
)
2
]
3–
, ions have been investigated
by performing ab initio MP2/6-311+G**
calculations. The nitrogen and phosphorus atoms as part of the ions
are shown to be divalent with a negative charge and two lone pairs
on the nitrogen and phosphorus atoms. The experimentally known calcium
sodium iminodisulfonate trihydrate and the analogous unknown compound
calcium sodium phosphinodisulfonate trihydrate have also been investigated
using the MP2/6-311+G** calculations. For the nitrogen compound, only
minor changes occur in the iminodisulfonate ion when it becomes part
of the calcium sodium iminodisulfonate trihydrate. For the phosphorus
compound, the geometry of the phosphinodisulfonate ion changes significantly
as part of calcium sodium phosphinodisulfonate trihydrate. Furthermore,
the charges associated with the atoms in calcium sodium phosphinodisulfonate
trihydrate are quite different from those of the phosphinodisulfonate
ion. For calcium sodium iminodisulfonate trihydrate, the Raman spectrum
has been measured, and it compares well with the spectrum derived
using HF/6-311+G** calculations.