ɐnˈæləɡəs tə ðə dᵻskɹˈɪpʃən ʌv ˈaɪɚn pˈaɪɹaɪt, mˈæŋɡənˌiːz dˌɪsᵻlˈɛnaɪd ɪz sˈʌmtaɪmz vjˈuːd æz bˌiːɪŋ kəmpˈoʊzd ʌv ˌɛmˈɛn tˈuː plˈʌs ænd sˈiː twˈɛnti tˈuː mˈaɪnəs ˈaɪɑːnz, ɔːlðˈoʊ bˌiːɪŋ ɐ sˌɛmɪkəndˈʌktɚ, ˌɛmˈɛn sˈiː tˈuː ɪz nˌɑːt ɐpɹˈoʊpɹɪətli dᵻskɹˈaɪbd ɪn fˈɔːɹməl ˌɑːksɪdˈeɪʃən stˈeɪts.
Analogous to the description of iron pyrite, manganese diselenide is sometimes viewed as being composed of Mn2+ and Se22− ions, although being a semiconductor, MnSe2 is not appropriately described in formal oxidation states.