Writing & Naming Chemical Compounds Formulas

Types of Compounds
Ionic - occurs when a metal loses all its valence electrons to a nonmetal. The metal becomes a cation
(+ion), while the nonmetal becomes an anion (- ion).
Covalent- two nonmetals share electrons. Neither loses or gains electrons - they share electrons. Neither
atom becomes an ion.
Ionic compounds
Ionic Compounds Contain a metal and a nonmetal.

Chemical compounds (ionic or covalent)can be classified into two basic categories, binary and
ternary.
Binary compounds contain two different elements.
Ternary compounds contain three or more different elements

Binary compounds
The 5 Steps for writing an ionic compound formula:
(I)Write the symbols of the two elements.
(II)Write the valence of each as superscripts.
(III)Drop the positive and negative signs.
(IV)Crisscross the superscripts so they become subscripts.
(V)Reduce when possible.
Example:
1. Write the symbols of the two elements.
B O,

Na Cl

2. Write the valence for each element.

B+3 O-2 , Na+ cl3. Drop the positive & negative sign.

,1 1

4. Crisscross the superscripts so they become subscripts.

B3 O2

Na + Cl_

5. Reduce subscripts when possible.

B2 O3 (not possible here)

NaCl

Examples of Reduction of Subscripts:

Sr2O2 Reduces to SrO, Al3P3 Reduces to AlP, Pb2O4 Reduces to PbO2, Ba3N2 Doesnt Reduce
Reduces to
Examples of ionic compounds:
NaCl = sodium chloride
BaF2 = barium fluoride (barium has a +2 Charge)
Al2(SO4)3 = aluminum sulfate
Li2S = lithium sulfide

Calcium chloride (2) sodium oxide (3) potassium fluoride (4) Aluminium oxide
Naming binary compounds
When naming binary ionic compounds, Both the cation (metal) and anion (non metal) must be named.
1. Always name the cation ( metal) first, (specifying the charge, if necessary
2. then the anion ( nonmetal)
3. anion are named by adding the suffix -ide to the root of the element name ( element stem + -ide).
(e.g., I- = "iodide, br bromide, o oxide, s sulphide, cl chloride nitride, sulde, uoride, oxide,
bromide, iodide, chloride, telluride, phosphide. etc
Example:

NaCl

Sodium chloride

AlBr3

Aluminum bromide

Ca3P2

Calcium phosphide

Try naming the following binary compound

1. BeF2, beryllium fluoride 2. NaI sodium iodide 3. AlBr3 aluminum bromide 4. K2S
potassium sulfide 5. .Li2O lithium oxide 6.Na2S sodium sulfide

Binary compounds containing Transition metals

IMPORTANT: You must remember to look for transition metals when naming ionic
compounds. Most Transition metals have two valences. Roman numerals are used in the name of the
transition metal in the compound to show the valence on the cation. Be sure to include a roman
numeral in the cation name so that it shows its valence of the transition metal. Examples:
iron(III) = Fe+3, manganese(IV) = Mn+4, gold(II) = Au+2, copper(I) = Cu+1...
To do this you must figure out the valence of the transition metal by looking at the compound
formula and crisscrossing the subscripts so they become valences again. If the formula was
Fe2O3, iron would have a +3 valence and the name of the compound would be iron(III) oxide. In
the case of MnO2, manganese would have to have a valence of +4 for the valence of oxygen (-2)
to reduce out. So MnO2 is named manganese(IV) oxide.
Naming binary compounds containing a transition metal.
Roman numerals are used in the name of the transition metal in the compound to show the valence on
the cation (metal).
Mn+4 Manganese(IV) Mn +6 Manganese(VI)
Fe+2 Iron(II)

Fe+3 Iron(III)

Cu+1 Copper(I) Cu+2 Copper(II)

Formula

Name

Fe2 O3

Iron(III) oxide

ZnCl2
AgCl
Cu3 P2
Mno2

Zinc(II) chloride
Silver(I) chloride
Copper(II) phosphide
Manganese(IV) oxide

Writing Ternary ionic compound Formula

Ternary compounds have 3 elements in them

Polyatomic Ions
Polyatomic ions are ions which consist of more than one atom. For example, nitrate ion, NO3-,
contains one nitrogen atom and three oxygen atoms. The atoms in a polyatomic ion are usually

covalently bonded to one another, and therefore stay together as a single, charged unit. They
behave as if they were a one-atom ion they must be memorized)
Ion symbols
OHCO32NO3PO43SO42NH4+

Name of ions
Hydroxide
Carbonate
Nitrate
Phosphate
Sulphate
Ammomium

Note: ammonium is the only polyatomic ion with a + charge. Treat polyatomic ions as you would any ion
- crisscross to determine the formula. The only difference is that when you have more than one of a
specic polyatomic ion in a formula you must encase it in parenthesis. For example Ca(NO 3 ) 2 or
Ba(OH)2
Cation
Anion
compound
Ca+2
NO-13

Ca(NO3 ) 2
Mg+2
PO-34

Mg3 ( PO4) 2
Ba
+2

OH-1
Ba(OH)2
Ba
+2

SO-24

BaSO4

As in all ionic compounds you must reduce subscripts, but you cannot change the formula of the
polyatomic ion. You can only reduce subscripts outside the parenthesis.

Try this
Write the formula for magnesium phosphate.
First identify the cation (metal)and anion in this compound.
Cation = magnesium = Mg+2 (metal cation)
Anion = phosphate = PO4-3 (polyatomic anion)
To obtain a neutral compound, 3 Mg+2 are needed for every 2 PO4 -3
The formula of the compound is Mg3(PO4)2
Note in the above Example parentheses are placed around the polyatomic portion of compound, to
indicate that it must be treated as a complete and whole unit

Compounds with Polyatomic ions

Rules for Naming Ionic Compounds Containing Polyatomic Ions

Rule 1. The cation is written first in the name; the anion is written second in the name.
Rule 2. When the formula unit contains two or more of the same polyatomic ion, that ion is written in
parentheses with the subscript written outside the parentheses. (e.g., the formula unit for calcium
sulfate is "CaSO4" not "Ca(SO4)").
Note: parentheses and a subscript are not used unless more than one of a polyatomic ion is present
in the formula unit
Rule 3. If the cation is a metal ion with a fixed charge, the name of the cation is the same as the
(neutral) element from which it is derived (e.g., Na + = "sodium"). If the cation is a metal ion with a
variable charge, the charge on the cation is indicated using a Roman numeral, in parentheses,
immediately following the name of the cation (e.g., Fe3+ = "iron(III)").

Try this
Name the cation first (specifying the charge, if necessary), then the polyatomic ion as listed in the table
above (or as derived from the rules which were given).
Name the ionic compound Al(NO3)3.
First identify the cation and anion in this compound.
Cation = Al+3 = the aluminum cation (metal cation)
Anion = NO3-1 = the nitrate anion (polyatomic anion)
The name of this compound is Aluminum Nitrate
An aluminum ion--chemical symbol Al--assumes a charge of +3 when it forms compounds. A carbonate ion, CO3,
assumes a charge of -2. To maintain charge neutrality, aluminum carbonate must therefore combine in a 2:3 ratio.
The chemical formula of aluminum carbonate is therefore Al2(CO3)3.

Try these
Sodium phosphate Na3 PO4, Calcium phosphate Ca3 (PO3) 2, Aluminum phosphate AlPO 3
sodium carbonate Na2CO3, Calcium carbonate

Phosphate
Sodium phosphate Na3 PO4
Calcium phosphate Ca3 (PO3) 2
Aluminum phosphate AlPO 3

CaCO3, aluminum carbonate

Al2(CO3)3

Carbonates
sodium carbonate
Calcium carbonate
aluminum carbonate

Na2CO3
CaCO3
Al2(CO3)3

An aluminum ion--chemical symbol Al--assumes a charge of +3 when it forms compounds. A carbonate ion, CO3,
assumes a charge of -2. To maintain charge neutrality, aluminum carbonate must therefore combine in a 2:3 ratio.
The chemical formula of aluminum carbonate is therefore Al2(CO3)3.

Covalent Compounds
Two nonmetals share electrons so both have 8 valence electrons. Exception: H Neither takes on
a charge - no valence. Because covalent compounds share electrons they can share in different
ways and can form many compounds between the same two elements. For example, you know
two compounds that that exist between carbon and oxygen: CO carbon monoxide and
CO2 carbon dioxide. The NAMES of covalent compounds contain prefixes that tell you how
many atoms of each element is in the compound. Do not crisscross to determine formula. Must
use prexes in the name. Name tells you the formula. Example:
N2O4 is dinitrogen tetroxide. You cannot reduce the formulas
Reaction between hydrogen + oxygen Here are the prefixes used in covalent compounds:
PREFIX
MEANING
mon(o)*
1
di2
tri3
tetr(a)*4
pent(a)*5
*a and o is used if element begins with a consonant, dropped if it starts with a vowel
2H2 + O2 2H2O 2 Hydrogen Atoms Oxygen Atom dihydrogen oxide ((also known as

water)
Class work
Go ahead and try these:

1.

sulfur dioxide

2.

dihydrogen oxide

3.

phosphorus pentafluoride

4.

carbon tetrachloride

5.

Aluminum trichloride (Trick Question)

answers

1. sulfur dioxide = SO2

2. dihydrogen oxide = H2O
3. phosphorus pentafluoride = PF5
4. carbon tetrachloride = CCl4
5. Trick Question aluminum trichloride = not possible. Never use prefixes in ionic compounds
(contain a metal cation). This compound would simply be called aluminum chloride.

More work
1. AuCl2 = gold(II) chloride
2. S3N2 = trisulfur dinitride
3. Be(OH)2 = beryllium hydroxide
4. Co(NO3)2 = cobalt(II) nitrate
5. PBr3 = phosphorus tribromide
6. CaI2 = calcium iodide
7. SiO2 = silicon dioxide
8. ZnS = zinc(II) sulfide
9. CF4 = carbon tetrafluoride
10.Ba3P2 = barium phosphide