Sodium metaperiodate can be prepared by the dehydration of sodium hydrogen periodate with nitric acid. Na3H2IO6 + 2 HNO3 → NaIO4 

Application

Sodium periodate can be used in solution to open saccharide rings between vicinal diols leaving two aldehyde groups. This process is often used in labeling saccharides with fluorescent molecules or other tags such as biotin.