Appendix II.
INORGANIC NOMENCLATURE
I.
Naming compounds containing two elements only (binary compounds)
a.
Name the first element
b.
Name the second element with an -ide ending.
Example:
NaCl
sodium
chloride
Al2O3
aluminum
oxide
The elements which form -ide ions are listed below:
Symbol
Binary Name
Symbol
Br-1
bromide
I-1
iodide
C-4
carbide
N-3
nitride
Cl-1
chloride
O-2
oxide
F-1
fluoride
P-3
phosphide
H-1
hydride
S-2
sulfide
Exercise: Name the following compounds:
1.
Al2O3
II.
Binary Name
6.
BaS
2.
SiC
7.
Li2O
3.
ZnCl2
8.
CsF
4.
AlN
9.
Ag2S
5.
Al4C3
10.
BeH2
Assigning oxidation numbers or electron bookkeeping:
a. The oxidation number of atoms in elemental form is zero.
b. The oxidation number of a monatomic ion equals the charge on the ion.
O = -1 in peroxide (O2-2)
c. H = -1 in hydrides
H = +1 in most other compounds; O = -2 in most other compounds
d. Lithium Group = +1; Beryllium Group = +2; Scandium Group = +3 in their
compounds
e. Nitrogen Group = -3; Oxygen Group = -2; Fluorine Group = -1 in binary
compounds in which they are the negative element.
f. The sum of the oxidation numbers of all atoms in a compound is zero.
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Example:
Fe2O3 Rule 3 says O = 2, there is no rule for Fe so apply
Rule 6 (The sum of the oxidation number equals zero).
2 Fe + 30 = 0
2 Fe + 3(-2) = 0
or
+6 -6
2 Fe - 6 = 0
+3 -2
2 Fe + 6
Fe2O3
Fe = +3
Exercise:
Assign oxidation numbers to the underlined element in each of the following
compounds. Remember an oxidation number is for one atom of the element.
1.
HgO
6.
Cu2S
III.
2.
Al4C3
7.
Sn3N4
3.
CrF2
8.
MnO2
4.
Fe2S3
9.
Hg2Cl2
5.
CoCl2
10.
AuCl3
Naming binary compounds containing a metal and nonmetal
a.
Name the first element and then name the second element with the -ide ending. If
the first element is a metal, check its possible oxidation states on your periodic
table. If more than one oxidation state is listed, put the proper oxidation number
in Roman numerals in parentheses after the name of the metal.
Example:
Exercise:
CuBr2
copper (II) bromide
CuBr
copper (I) bromide
Name the following compounds. Include the oxidation state only if metal has
more than one possible oxidation state.
1.
Sn3N4
6.
SnO
2.
KBr
7.
RaBr2
3.
BaS
8.
Cu2S
4.
Al2O3
9.
Ag2S
5.
Na2O
10.
PbBr2
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IV.
Naming binary compounds containing two nonmetals
Basic rule: Name of first element plus name of second element with “ide”
Use the prefixes below to indicate the number of atoms of each element present.
Number
Prefix
Number
Prefix
1
mono
6
hexa
2
di
7
hepta
3
tri
8
octa
4
tetra
9
nona
5
penta
10
deca
Note: The prefix mono is omitted from the first element and prefixes are not used for
the binary compounds of hydrogen.
Example:
CO
carbon monoxide
CO2
carbon dioxide
N2O5
dinitrogen pentoxide
Exercise: Name the following compounds.
V.
1. N2O4
5. BrO2
2. CCl4
6. XeO3
3. Cl2O
7. SeBr4
4. Cl2O7
8. As2S3
Naming binary compounds starting with Hydrogen.
These are acids. If they are aqueous solutions, they are named as the hydro
with the blank containing the element other than H.
ic acid
Example: HF hydrofluoric acid
Note: This compound can also be named hydrogen fluoride. Usually HF is
called hydrofluoric acid when it is dissolved in water and hydrogen
fluoride when it is a gas.
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When enough H+s are added to one of the polyatomic -ate ions to make it electrically neutral, an
-ic acid results.
Examples:
acetate
C2H3O2-
acetic acid
HC2H3O2
carbonate
CO3-2
carbonic acid
H2CO3
chlorate
ClO3-
chloric acid
HClO3
chromate
CrO4-2
chromic acid
H2CrO4
nitrate
NO3-
nitric acid
HNO3
phosphate
PO4-3
phosphoric acid
H3PO4
silicate
SiO4-4
silicic acid
H2SiO3
sulfate
SO4-2
sulfuric acid
H2SO4
When enough H+s are added to one of the polyatomic -ate ions to make it electrically neutral, an
-ous acid results.
nitrite
NO2-
nitrous acid
HNO2
sulfite
SO3-2
sulfurous acid
H2SO3
Note: that -ite ions always have one less oxygen than -ate ions.
Name the following compounds with 3 or more elements. Look for the polyatomic ions in the
list in your textbook. Follow the rules for binary compounds except when a polyatomic ion
appears them use its name.
Examples:
Cu(NO3)2
copper (II) nitrate
K2SO4
potassium sulfate
(NH4)3PO4
ammonium phosphate
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Examples:
1.
Ca(OH)2
14.
PbCrO4
2.
Ag3PO4
15.
(NH4)2Cr2O7
3.
Be(NO2)2
16.
H2O2
4.
Fe(MnO4)3
17.
CoSO3
5.
NH4NO3
18.
Cu2SiO4
6.
Al2S3
19.
NaH2PO4
7.
I2O7
20.
N2O4
8.
Hg(C2H3O2)2
21.
NI3
9.
Ca(HCO3)2
22.
H2O
10.
KCl03
23.
HCl (solution)
11.
KCN
24.
H3PO4
12.
Mg(OH)2
25.
H2CO3
13.
ZnCO3
26.
H2S (gas)
Construct the Appropriate Formula:
HCO3-
S-2
PO4-3
K+
NH4+
Ca+2
Al+3
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