I've made some other posts recently where I explained the breakdown products
ClO2 can breakdown to chlorite or chloride but chlorite and chlorate which are also oxidizers break down ultimately and quite quickly to chloride . This link may explain it further. It most likely breaks down to chlorite then chloride instantly
I didnt say ClO2 was a cation you did. A cation is positively charged. Chlorite is an anion(negatively charged). Easy mistake to make I guess
Chlorine dioxide is an oxidizer and kills bacteria by ripping up to 5 electrons from their surface. If it gains all 5 it becomes chloride and oxygen. Thats all there is to it.
Bruce is easy to confuse