Pottasium permanganate (KMnO4) is an ionic compound that contains a combination of pottasium cations (K+) and permanganate anion (MnO4-). The pair of ions that make up the ionic compound cancel out each other to make it neutral.
K+ (aq) + MnO4- (aq) → KMnO4 (aq)
MnO4- contains 1 atom of manganese with a (+7) charge and four atoms of oxygen with a (-2) charge each. This forms a +7 for Mn and -8 for O4, hence, a net total of -1.
