Naming Ionic and

Molecular
Compounds
2.2

Compounds, Ions, and Molecules

KEY IDEAS:
Compounds result when elements bond together in fixed proportions.

Ch. 3

Compounds, Atoms, and Ions

VOCABULARY

The simplest form of matter is an element.

The smallest particle of an element is an atom.
Some elements like to combine, or bond, to form
compounds in fixed proportions.

bond
valence shell
valence electron
ion

For example NaCl and H2O are compounds.

Each compound has properties that are different than those of the
elements they are composed of.
For an element, the tendency to bond or form an ion is determined by
the number of electrons in its outermost shell called the valence shell.

Bohr diagrams focus on the valence electrons.

Ch. 3

Compounds, Ions, and Molecules

KEY IDEAS:
Bohr diagrams can illustrate how ions form by focusing on the atoms
electrons.
Atoms tend to acquire the same number of valence electrons as their nearest
noble gas.
Noble gases have complete valence shells

Ch. 3

Compounds, Atoms, and Ions

VOCABULARY
bond
valence shell
valence electron
ion

An atom and an ion of the same element have

completely different properties, such as size.
For example the Na atom is larger than the Na+ ion.
Ch. 3

Periodic Table and Ion Formation

Atoms gain and lose electrons to form bonds.
The atoms become electrically charged particles called ions.
Metals lose electrons and become positive ions (= cations)
Some metals (multivalent) lose electrons in different ways
ie. Iron, Fe, loses either 2 (Fe2+) or 3 (Fe3+) electrons

Non-metals gain electrons and become negative ions

( = anions)
Atoms do this in an attempt to have the same number of valence
electrons (outermost shell) as the nearest noble gas.

Chemical Bonding
VOCABULARY

A chemical bond is a force that holds atoms

together to form compounds.
There are two general types of bonds: ionic and
covalent.
Ionic bonds involve a transfer
of electrons between atoms.
Ionic bonding forms ionic
compounds.
For example CaF2

Ch. 3

chemical bonds
ionic compounds
ionic bonding
covalent
molecular compounds
covalent bonding
molecule
diatomic molecules
phases
states

Chemical Bonding
VOCABULARY

Covalent bonds involve a sharing of electrons

between atoms.

chemical bonds
ionic compounds
ionic bonding

The basic unit of a covalently bonded compound is

a molecule.

covalent

Covalent bonds form molecular compounds.

covalent bonding

For example CO2

molecular compounds
molecule
diatomic molecules
phases
states

Ch. 3

Chemical Bonding
Ionic compounds separate into ions when
dissolved in water and can conduct electricity,
while covalent compounds do not separate into
ions, nor do they conduct electricity.

VOCABULARY
chemical bonds
ionic compounds
ionic bonding
covalent
molecular compounds
covalent bonding
molecule
diatomic molecules
phases
states

Ch. 3

 Ionic bonds
Formed between cations (+ ions) and anions (- ions)
This is a metal (+) and a non-metal (-)
For example, lithium and oxygen form an ionic bond in the
compound Li2O

Compounds, Ions, and Molecules

Rules for writing chemical formulas and for naming ionic
compounds are based on ion charge balances.
Example: The chemical formula for sodium oxide is Na2O.

Ch. 3

Ionic Compounds: Chemical Formulas

and Naming
A chemical formula describes the proportions of the component
elements.
The chemical formulas for ionic compounds can be predicted by
balancing ion charges.
The fundamental rule for determining the chemical formula for any ionic
compound is that the total ion charge for the compound is zero.

Ch. 3

Ionic Compounds: Chemical Formulas

and Naming
The chemical names are derived from the ion names.
For example: NaCl = sodium chloride
K2O = potassium oxide
Ionic compounds can be divided into three types:
binary ionic compounds
ionic compounds with multivalent elements
ionic compounds with polyatomic ions

Ch. 3

Names and Formulas of Compounds

Ionic compounds are made up of positive and
negative ions.
All of the positives and negatives organize nicely.
Negative-positive attract
Negative-negative and positive-positive repel

Ionic compounds form from the inside-out as

solid crystals
Ionic compounds are like a solid stack of bricks!
A salt shaker contains thousands of small pieces
of NaCl

Salt, NaCl

Ch. 3

The Chemical Name and Formula

of an Ionic Compound
Ionic compounds are composed of cations and anions.
The name of an ionic compound = cation + anion-ide
For example, an ionic compound forms when magnesium and
oxygen combine
The cation is the first part of the name, magnesium
The anion forms part of the ending of the name, oxygen
Add -ide to the end of the name to form magnesium oxide.

Magnesium oxide is
used as a drying agent.

The Chemical Name and Formula

of an Ionic Compound
For example, what is the name of Ca3N2?
Ca, the cation, is calcium
N, the anion, is nitrogen
Drop the end of the anion and add ide to form calcium
nitride

The Chemical Name and Formula

of an Ionic Compound (continued)
Writing formulas for ionic compounds.
In an ionic compound, the positive charges balance
out the negatives
The ratio of positive:negative charges gives the
proper formula
The ratio is always written in reduced form

For example, what is the formula for magnesium

phosphide?

Magnesium is Mg2+
phosphorous is P3
Lowest common multiple of 2 and 3 is 6
3 Mg2+ ions and 2 P3 ions
Mg3P2

The Chemical Name and Formula

of an Ionic Compound (continued)
Try the formula for calcium oxide
calcium is Ca2+
1 Ca2+ ion and
written as CaO

oxygen is O2
1 O2 ions

Calcium oxide, aka

quicklime was
produced by
cooking limestone
in ancient kilns.

Formula of an Ionic Compound

with a Multivalent Metal
Some transitional metals are multivalent, meaning they
have more than one ion form.
On the periodic table, the most common form of the ion is
listed on top
In the name of the compound, roman numeral are used
following the cation to indicate which ion was used
For example, what is the formula manganese (III)
sulphide?

This manganese is Mn3+

sulphur is S2
Lowest common multiple of 3 and 2 is 6
2 Mn3+ ions and 3 S2 ions = Mn2P3

Formula of an Ionic Compound

with a Multivalent Metal

Try the name for TiF4

titanium is Ti4+ or Ti3+
1 Ti4+ ion and 4 F ions
Titanium (IV) fluoride

fluorine is F

Polyatomic Ions
Some ions, called polyatomic ions, are made up of several atoms joined
together (ironically, joined with covalent bonds).
The whole group has a + or charge, not individual atoms.
What is the formula of sodium sulphate?
What is the name of the compound KClO?

Na+ and SO42

Na2SO4

K+ = potassium ClO = hypochlorite

Potassium hypochlorite

Polyatomic Ions

Names and Formulas of Covalent Compounds

Covalent compounds are made up of two or more non-metal

atoms

Atoms share electrons.

There is generally no order to the formation of covalent
molecules
These molecules clump together as solids, liquids or
gases

Water, H2O

Forming Compounds (continued)

+
Hydrogen

Ch. 3

Hydrogen
monofluoride
Fluorine

Electrons are shared

Naming Binary Covalent Compounds

Binary covalent compounds (two nonmetal atoms) use a system of prefixes.
Covalent compounds may have many or few atoms sharing
electrons
CH4 = methane and C25H52 = candle wax

Prefixes are used before the atom name to indicate the

number of atoms in the molecule.
CO = carbon monoxide, CO2 = carbon dioxide

Write the most metallic atom (furthest left) first

Add -ide to end of the second atoms name

What is the chemical formula for the molecule trinitrogen tetrachloride?

N3Cl4

What is the name of the molecule Si3P6

Trisilicon hexaphosphide

Ch. 3

Comparing Ionic and Covalent Compounds

To determine whether a compound is ionic or covalent:
1. Examine the formula

2.

If the compound is covalent

3.

Ionic compounds start with a metal or the ammonium ion

Covalent compounds start with a non-metal
Use the prefix system of naming if the compound is binary and does not start with
hydrogen
If there are more than two different elements, or it starts with H, there is probably a
different, simpler name for the covalent molecule

If the compound is ionic

Check the metal to see if it is multivalent (add a roman numeral if it is multivalent).

Naming starts with the name of the metal atom.
If it ends with a single non-metal, naming will just end in -ide
If it ends in a polyatomic ion, look up the name/formula

Names and Formulas of

Covalent Compounds

What is the chemical formula for the molecule ethanol?

C2H6O, a name that must be memorized or looked up when needed

What is the name of the molecule C12O22H11

Sucrose, aka table sugar

You are not expected to name these compounds but should

recognize them as being covalent

Forming Compounds
When two atoms get close together, their valence electrons interact.
If the valence electrons can combine to form a low-energy bond, a compound is
formed.
Each atom in the compound attempts to have the stable number of valence
electrons as the nearest noble gas.
Metals may lose electrons and non-metals gain electrons, (ionic bond) OR
Atoms may share electrons (covalent bond)
Ionic bonds form when electrons are transferred from cations to anions
Cations want to donate an electron (+) and anions want to accept more electrons
(-)
Covalent bonds form when electrons are shared between two non-metals
Electrons stay with their atom, but overlap with other shells

Ch. 3

Molecular Compounds: Chemical

Formulas and Naming
Molecular compounds result when atoms of non-metals share
electrons to bond.
The chemical formulas for molecular compounds are derived from
their chemical names (and vice versa) based on a prefix system.
Charge balancing is not required for molecular compounds.