Naming Ionic Compounds

I. Naming Ions
A. Cations (+ions)

1. Element name followed by "ion" (when in Group IA, IIA, Al 3+, Ga3+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Ag+, Ni 2+).
+ + 3+
Na sodium ion, K potassium ion, Al aluminum ion (NO Roman Numeral)

2. If an element has cations of different charges (ones not listed above),

a. Element name (ion charge in Roman Numerals) +"ion"
recognize only (b. Latinized element name with endings:
-ous for the lower charged ion; -ic for higher charged ion)
Fe2+ iron(II) ion (or ferrous ion )
Fe 3+ iron(III) ion (or ferric ion )
Cu + copper(I) ion (or cuprous ion )
Cu 2+ copper(II) ion (or cupric ion )
Sn 2+ tin(II) ion (or stannous ion )
Sn 4+ tin(IV) ion (or stannic ion )

B. Anions (-ions)

1. Element name (w/o its ending) with suffix -ide +"ion" for anions of one element alone.
H- hydride ion I- iodide ion
2- 2-
O oxide ion S sulfide ion

2. Learn name and charge of polyatomic ions (covalently bonded group of atoms:
stable and electrically charged)
a. Know: OH- hydroxide ion, CN- cyanide ion,
C2H3O2- (or CH3COO-) acetate ion,
+
(also one +ion NH4 ammonium ion)
b. learn others from acid names
i) using -ate to show oxygen, when acid has -ic ending)

ACID OXYANION
2-
H2SO4 sulfuric acid SO4 sulfate ion
HNO3 nitric acid NO3- nitrate ion
3-
H3PO4 phosphoric acid PO4 phosphate ion
2-
H2CO 3 carbonic acid CO3 carbonate
ii) using -ite to show combination with fewer oxygen atoms. (Acid has -ous ending)
2-
H2SO3 sulfurous acid SO3 sulfite ion
HNO2 nitrous acid NO2- nitrite ion
iii) using hydrogen (or bi-) before oxyanion name to show hydrogen in ion
HSO 4- hydrogen sulfate (or bisulfate) ion
HCO3- hydrogen carbonate (or bicarbonate) ion
2-
HPO 4 hydrogen phosphate, H2PO 4- dihydrogen phosphate
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Names of Some Important Oxyanions* (Learn the seven ions ending with ate & the others from them.)
*No ions where not shown.
Hypo_____ite ____ite ____ate Per____ate
(Two fewer (One Fewer (Learn the 7 below & (One More
Oxygen Atoms) Oxygen Atom) rules to go to more/less O) Oxygen Atom)
ClO- ClO2- ClO3- Chlorate ClO4-
BrO- BrO2- BrO3- Bromate BrO4-
IO- IO2- IO3- Iodate IO4-
- - -
PO23 PO33 PO43 Phosphate
NO2- NO3- Nitrate
- -
SO32 SO42 Sulfate
-
CO32 Carbonate

II. Naming compounds

Cation name first, then anion name (w/o "ion" after names). Use charge on ion to find charge of +ion for
Roman Numeral.
NaCl sodium chloride, CaH2 calcium hydride,
FeCl 3 Iron(III) chloride, PbO2 lead(IV) oxide,
Na2CO3 sodium carbonate, NH4HSO4 ammonium hydrogen sulfate

III. Writing formulas from names.

A. Cation symbol then anion symbol (without charge) using the smallest whole number subscripts
to tell ratio of kinds of atoms to give an electrically neutral compound.

Lithium iodide LiI , Magnesium chloride MgCl2

B. Parentheses around polyatomic ions when subscripted.

Aluminum hydroxide Al(OH) 3

Aluminum sulfate Al2(SO 4)3
Ammonium carbonate (NH4) 2CO 3
Potassium hydrogen phosphate K2HPO 4

Formulas must be electrically neutral (i.e. +charges of ions must balance - charges of ions).

Naming Inorganic Covalent Molecules

NUMERICAL PREFIX SYSTEM (use for 2 nonmetals, i.e. covalent molecules)
1. Write the name of the less EN element
2. Write more EN element (w/o its ending) + -ide
3. In front of each use a prefix to tell the # of atoms of that element. (Mono- is often dropped particularly
in front of the first name. An o or a at the end of prefix is dropped with oxide: monoxide, hexoxide.)
LEARN PREFIXES! (1 mono, 2 di, 3 tri, 4 tetra, 5 penta, 6 hexa, 7 hepta, 8 octa, 9 nona, 10 deca)

Naming Acids of H with an anion without oxygen: use a hydro- prefix & -ic ending on root + acid.
HCl(aq) hydrochloric acid; HCN(aq) hydrocyanic acid
Naming acids containing O: -ate ion becomes -ic acid, etc. HC2H3O2 acetic acid; HIO hypoiodous acid

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 NOMENCLATURE OF INORGANIC COMPOUNDS

GENERAL: There are at present two methods of naming inorganic compounds:

(1) The Roman Numeral System (also referred to as the Stock System).

(2) The Numerical Prefix System.

Actually, there are other older methods of naming compounds still in use but these two methods
are now the official ways to name compounds.

ROMAN NUMERAL SYSTEM: (Used for ionic compounds)

General Rules: In the Roman Numeral System the following rules usually hold:

(1) Write down the name of the less electronegative element or polyatomic ion.
(2) Write down the proper designation for the other element or polyatomic ion.
(3) Between the first and second words place a Roman Numeral in parentheses.
The Roman Numeral is numerically equal to the oxidation state of the first
element.

Rules for Binary Compounds: Binary compounds are those compounds

containing two different elements.

(1) Write down the name of the less electronegative element.

(2) Write down the first part of the name of the other element & add IDE
(3) Between the two words place a Roman Numeral which is numerically equal to the
oxidation state of the first element.

Example: Cu2S

The name of the first element is COPPER. The proper designation for the second element is
SULFIDE. Since the oxidation state of copper in this compound is plus one, the Roman
Numeral used is (I). Thus, the name for this compound is as follows: copper (I) sulfide.

Example: CrCl 3

The name of the first element is CHROMIUM. The proper name for the second element is
CHLORIDE. The oxidation state of chromium in this compound is plus three. So, the Roman
Numeral to be used is (III). Thus, the compound is named chromium (III) chloride.

Rules for Naming Compounds Containing More Than Two Elements:

These compounds usually contain polyatomic ions. The following rules apply for those
compounds that can be named using two words (also in those cases in which the polyatomic ion
itself is named using two words).

(1) Write down the name of the less electronegative element or polyatomic ion.
(2) Write down the proper word for the other element or polyatomic ion.
(3) Place a Roman Numeral after the positive element which is
numerically equal to its oxidation state.
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 Example: HgSO4

The name of the positive element is MERCURY. The name of the polyatomic ion is SULFATE.
The oxidation state of mercury is plus two. Thus the Roman Numeral is (II). The compound is
therefore named, mercury (II) sulfate.

Example; Fe2(CrO4)3
-
The name of the positive element is IRON. The proper name for the polyatomic ion, CrO42 is
CHROMATE. The oxidation state of iron in this compound is plus three. Thus, the Roman
Numeral is (III). The name of this compound, therefore, is iron (III) chromate.

Additional Rules and Comments: There are some cases in which it is not necessary to indicate
the Roman Numeral. Elements in Group IA and IIA and aluminum, gallium, zinc, cadmium,
silver* and nickel* have only one oxidation state when they are present in compounds.
Therefore, the oxidation state is understood and it is not proper to write the Roman Numeral,
between the two words in the name of the compound.

Examples: Ba(NO3)2 barium nitrate; K2O potassium oxide

NUMERICAL PREFIX SYSTEM: (Used for covalent compounds, i.e. molecules)

Recommended nomenclature for combinations of non-metals.

(Stock System above is used for metal and non-metal binary compounds.)

General Rules: In the Numerical Prefix System the following rules usually hold:

(1) Write down the name of the less electronegative

(2) Write down the proper designation for the name of the other element. Use -ide ending.
(3) In front of each word write down the number of atoms of each element in the formula.
This number is written in appropriate Latin or Greek notation.

Example: P2O5

The name of the first element is PHOSPHORUS. The proper designation for the second element
is OXIDE. There are two atoms of phosphorus in the molecule; thus, DIPHOSPHORUS. There
are five atoms of oxygen; thus. PENTOXIDE. Therefore, the compound is named
diphosphorus pentoxide.

Example: NO2

nitrogen dioxide or mononitrogen dioxide. (Mono is frequently omitted from the designation for
the first element named.)

CO - carbon monoxide or monocarbon monoxide.

*Has other oxidation states in a few less commonly observed compounds.

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Proper Names of Second Elements in Binary Compounds: In order to name binary compounds
the following words for the more negative element must be learned:
- -
S2 sulfide H hydride
- -
N3 nitride OH hydroxide

- -
P3 phosphide Se2 selenide
- -
F fluoride O2 oxide
- -
Cl chloride O22 peroxide
- -
Br bromide O21 superoxide
- -
I iodide CN cyanide.

Proper Names of Polyatomic ions: In order to name polyatomic ions in compounds the
following words for the polyatomic ions must be learned:
- -
(BO33 borate) C2O42 oxalate
- -
ClO41 perchlorate S2O32 thiosulfate
- -
C1O31 chlorate (AsO43 arsenate)
- -
ClO21 chlorite C2H3O21 acetate
- -
ClO hypochlorite SCN thiocyanate
- -
SO42 sulfate HSO 41 hydrogen sulfate
- -
SO32 sulfite HSO 31 hydrogen sulfite
- -
NO31 nitrate CO32 carbonate
- -
NO21 nitrite HCO31 hydrogen carbonate

- -
CrO42 chromate PO43 phosphate
- -
Cr2O72 dichromate HPO 42 hydrogen phosphate
- -
MnO 41 permanganate H2PO41 dihydrogen phosphate

(positive ions)
NH4+ ammonium Hg22+ mercury (I)
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COMMON CHARGES OR OXIDATION STATES for metal ions (Bold use no Roman Numeral)

Al +3 Ga +3

Fe +2, +3 Co +2, +3

Cu +1, +2 Ni +2

Hg +1, +2 Zn +2

Sn +2, +4 Ag +1

As +3, +5 Au +1, +3

Sb +3, +5 Mn +2, +3, +4

Bi +3, +5 Cd +2

Cr +2, +3 Pb +2, +4

CORRESPONDING ACID AND ANION NOMENCLATURE

ACID EXAMPLE ANION EXAMPLE

Per..ic HClO4 Perchloric acid per..ate ClO4- Perchlorate

...ic HClO3 chloric acid ...ate ClO3- chlorate

...ous HClO2 chlorous acid ite ClO2- chlorite

hypo...ous HClO hypochlorous acid hypoite ClO- hypochlorite

hydro...ic HCl hydrochloric acid ide Cl- chloride

LATIN AND GREEK NUMBER NOTATIONS

mono 1, di 2, tri 3, tetra 4, penta 5,

hexa 6, hepta 7, octa 8, nona 9, deca 10

WORK SHEET

Name the following compounds by the more appropriate method. (Only one name per compound can be more
appropriate.) Give molecular formulas for named compounds.

COMPOUND STOCK SYSTEM NUMERICAL PRE SYSTEM

SO2
Carbon dioxide
Al2O3
Bi2(SO4) 3
S2O7

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Cr2S7
IF5
NO
Phosphorus trichloride
CaC2
BP
Sodium nitrate
SO3
N2O4
ZnBr 2
SiS2
SnCl 4
Tetraphosphorus hexasulfide
Sb2(SO 3)5
PCl 3
FeO
N2O4
KClO2
P2Se3
Mg(CN) 2
ICl3
Co(HCO 3)2
TeI4
Ba(NO2) 2
CdCr 2O7
CuMnO4
Hg2Cl 2
VF5
PbCrO4
Manganese (IV) oxide
Strontium iodide