heteropoly acid

noun

: any of a large group of complex oxygen-containing acids derived from two or more different inorganic acids by elimination of water from two or more molecules of the acids

especially : an acid regarded as formed by combination of several molecules of an acid anhydride (as molybdenum trioxide or tungsten trioxide) with a second acid that furnishes the central atom (as phosphorus or silicon) of the complex

—distinguished from isopoly acid

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