While there are many thousands of different chemical compounds there is a very definite system

of nomenclature whereby we can name or write chemical formulas for most compounds. We
divide the compounds into two main types – binary compounds and ternary compounds.
 
Binary Compounds
 
All true binary compounds contain only two elements. The name of every binary compound ends
with “ide.” Binary compounds come in three types. They are:
            Type I............. the metal forms only one type of cation
            Type II............ the metal forms two or more types of cations
            Type III.......... contains only nonmetals
We will look at each type, one at a time.
 
Type I Binary Compounds
 
For Type I binary compounds the metal present can be found in either Group 1 or Group 2 on
the periodic table. The naming system for this type of compound is quite simple and is found
below.
 
Rules for naming Type I binary compounds
1.         The cation is always named first and the anion second.
2.         A simple cation (obtained from a single atom) takes its name from the name of the
element.
3.         A simple anion (obtained from a single atom) is named by taking the first part of the
element name (the root) and adding the letters “IDE.”
4.         Write the name for the compound by combining the names of the ions.
 
Examples:
Name the compound RbI.
        Rb is the chemical symbol for rubidium.
        I is the chemical symbol for iodine, whose root is “iod.” Add the “ide” ending to
get iodide.
        Put the pieces together to get the name rubidium iodide.
 
Name the compound CaO.
        Ca is the chemical symbol for calcium.
        O is the symbol for oxygen, whose root is “ox.” Add the “ide” ending to get oxide.
        Put the pieces together to get the name calcium oxide.
 
Name the compound Li3N.
        Li is the chemical symbol for lithium.
        N is the chemical symbol for nitrogen, whose root is “nitr.” Add the “ide” ending to
get nitride.
        Put the pieces together to get the name lithium nitride.
 
Write the formula for potassium sulfide.
        The chemical symbol of potassium is K. K is in the 1st column of the periodic table,
therefore, its oxidation state is +1.
        Sulfide is derived from sulfur, whose symbol is S. Its oxidation state is -2.
                                               +1 -2
        So far we have… K S.
        The total positive charge must balance the total negative charge. Therefore, we need
2 K atoms to give a total positive charge of +2. This balances the -2 charge on the
sulfur.
        Putting it all together we have K2S.
 
Write the formula for magnesium chloride.
        The chemical symbol of magnesium is Mg. Mg is in the 2nd column of the periodic
table, therefore, its oxidation state is +2.
        Chloride is derived from chlorine, whose symbol is Cl. Its oxidation state is -1.
                                                +2       -1
        So far we have… Mg  Cl
        The total positive charge must balance the total negative charge. Therefore, we need
2 chlorine atoms to give a total negative charge of -2. This balances the charge on the
magnesium.
        Putting it all together we have MgCl2.
 
Additional examples
NaCl  sodium chloride
KI  potassium iodide
RbBr  rubidium bromide
MgS  magnesium sulfide
Mg3N2  magnesium nitride
Sodium fluoride  NaF
Strontium oxide  SrO
Beryllium chloride  BeCl2
Cesium sulfide  Ce2S
Potassium phophide  K3P
 
Type II Binary Compounds
 
For Type II binary compounds the metal present is  NOT found in either Group 1 or Group 2 on
the periodic table. The naming system for this type of compound is found below.
 
Rules for naming Type II binary compounds
1.         The cation is always named first and the anion second.
2.         A simple cation (obtained from a single atom) takes its name from the name of the
element. Include a Roman numeral to indicate the oxidation number (charge) on the
metal cation.
3.         A simple anion (obtained from a single atom) is named by taking the first part of the
element name (the root) and adding the letters “IDE.”
4.         Write the name for the compound by combining the names of the ions.
 
Roman numerals
1......... I                 6......... VI
2......... II                7......... VII
3......... III              8......... VIII
4......... IV              9......... IX
5......... V               10....... X
 
Name the compound FeCl2.
        Fe is the chemical symbol for iron.
o       Fe is not in the 1st or 2nd column; therefore a Roman numeral is needed in the
name. We’ll come back to that shortly.
        Cl is the chemical symbol for chlorine, whose root is “chlor.” Add the “ide” ending
to get chloride.
        At this point we have iron (??) chloride.
        To find the Roman numeral…
o       Find the charge of the anion.
         Cl has a -1 charge.
o       Multiply times the number of those atoms to get the total negative charge.
         There are 2 Cl atoms.
         2 times -1 = -2. <--- total negative charge.
o       Balance total negative charge with total positive charge.
         The total negative charge of -2 must be balanced with a total positive charge
of +2.
o       Divide the total positive charge by the number of atoms to get Roman numeral.
         There is only 1 Fe
         +2 divided by 1 = +2. The Roman numeral is II.
        Put the pieces together to get the name iron (II) chloride.
 
Name the compound PbS2.
        Pb is the chemical symbol for lead.
o       Pb is not in the 1st or 2nd column; therefore a Roman numeral is needed.
        S is sulfur, whose root is “sulf.” Add the “ide” ending to get sulfide.
        At this point we have lead (??) sulfide.
        To find the Roman numeral…
         S has a charge of -2.
         There are 2 sulfur atoms so…. 2 x -2 = -4. <---- total negative charge
         The total positive charge must be +4.
         There is 1 lead atom so… +4 ÷ 1 = +4. The Roman numeral is IV.
        Put the pieces together to get the name lead (IV) sulfide.
 
Write the formula for nickel (III) oxide.
         The chemical symbol of nickel is Ni. The oxidation state is +3, as given by the
Roman numeral.
        Oxide is derived from oxygen, whose symbol is O. Its oxidation state is -2.
                                           +3   -2
        So far we have Ni O.
        In order to balance the charges we find the least common multiple (LCM) of 3 and 2.
The LCM is 6. We need two Ni atoms (+6 ÷ +3 = 2) and three O atoms (-6 ÷ -2 = 3)
to balance the charges.
        Putting it all together we have Ni2O3.
 
Write the formula for lead (IV) nitride.
        The chemical symbol of lead is Pb. The oxidation state is +4.
        Nitride is derived from nitrogen, whose symbol is N. Its oxidation state is -3.
                                           +4   -3
        So far we have Pb N.
        The LCM of 4 and 3 is 12. We need three Pb atoms (+12 ÷ +4 = 3) and 4 N atoms
(-12 ÷ -3 = 4) to balance the charges.
        Putting it all together we have Pb3N4.
 
Write the name for iron (II) oxide.
        The chemical symbol of iron is Fe. The oxidation state is +2.
        Oxide is derived from oxygen, whose symbol is O. Its oxidation state is -2.
                                           +2      -2
        So far we have Fe   O
        Since the charges already balance there is no additional work to be done.
        Putting it all together we have FeO.
 
Additional examples
Fe2O3  Iron (III) oxide
CuCl  Copper (I) chloride
CuCl2  Copper (II) chloride
PbS  lead (II) sulfide
PbS2  lead (IV) sulfide
Chromium (VI) oxide  CrO3
Cobalt (III) sulfide  Co2S3
Nickel (II) bromide  NiBr2
Mercury (II) phosphide  Hg3P2
Cadmium (II) iodide  CdI2
 
Type III Binary Compounds
 
            Type III binary compounds contain no metal atoms. There are two different naming
systems for Type III binary compounds: the “old system” and the “new system.” The old system
uses prefixes to indicate the number of each atom present and the new system is identical to that
used for naming Type II compounds.
 
It is important to note that only one system can be used at a time. NEVER mix prefixes and
Roman numerals.
 
Rules for naming Type III binary compounds: the OLD SYSTEM
1.         The first element in the formula is named first, and the full element name is used.
2.         The second element is named as though it were an anion: root + ide
3.         Prefixes are used to denote the numbers of atoms present. (See table below)
4.         The prefix mono- is never used for naming the first element.
 
Prefixes
1......... mono          6......... hexa
2......... di               7......... hepta
3......... tri               8......... octa
4......... tetra           9......... nona
5......... penta          10....... deca
 
Name the compound NO2.
        N is the chemical symbol of nitrogen. Since there is only one nitrogen atom AND it
is the first element the prefix mono is not used.
        O is the chemical symbol of oxygen, whose root is ox. Add the ide ending to get
oxide. There are two oxygen atoms so we also add the prefix di to get dioxide.
        Put the pieces together to get the name nitrogen dioxide.
 
Name the compound N2O.
        N is the chemical symbol of nitrogen. Since there are two nitrogen atoms we need to
add the prefix di to get dinitrogen.
        O is the chemical symbol of oxygen, whose root is ox. Add the ide ending to
get oxide. There is only one oxygen atom we add the prefix mono (mono IS used for
the second element) to get monoxide.
        Put the pieces together to get the name dinitrogen monoxide.
 
Write the formula for carbon tetrachloride.
        The chemical symbol of carbon is C. There is no prefix before carbon in the chemical
name, therefore, there is only 1 C atom in the chemical formula.
        Tetrachloride has the prefix tetra which means there are 4 atoms present. Chloride is
derived from chlorine, whose symbol is Cl. Thus, there are 4 Cl atoms in the
chemical formula.
        Putting it all together we have CCl4.
 
Write the formula for dinotrogen pentaoxide.
        The prefix di means 2. Thus there are 2 N atoms in the chemical formula.
        The prefix penta means 5. Thus, there are 5 O atoms in the chemical formula.
        Putting it all together we have N2O5.
 
            Now let us apply the “new system” to these same compounds. For Type III binary
compounds the “new system” is identical to that used to name Type II binary compounds. The
advantage to using the new system is that you have one less system to learn.
 
Rules for naming Type III binary compounds: the NEW SYSTEM
1.         The cation is always named first and the anion second.
2.         A simple cation (obtained from a single atom) takes its name from the name of the
element. Include a Roman numeral to indicate the oxidation number (charge) on the
metal cation.
3.         A simple anion (obtained from a single atom) is named by taking the first part of the
element name (the root) and adding the letters “IDE.”
4.         Write the name for the compound by combining the names of the ions.
 
Name the compound NO2.
        N is the chemical symbol for nitrogen.
o       Nitrogen is not in the 1st or 2nd column; therefore a Roman numeral is needed in
the name.
        O is the symbol for oxygen, whose root is “ox.” Add the “ide” ending to get oxide.
        At this point we have nitrogen (??) oxide.
        To find the Roman numeral…
         O has a charge of -2.
         2 oxygen atoms times -2 = -4. <---- total negative charge.
         The total negative charge of -4 must be balanced with a total positive charge
of +4.
         +4 divided by 1 (one N atom) = +4. The Roman numeral is IV.
        Put the pieces together to get the name nitrogen (IV) oxide.
 
Name the compound N2O.
        N is the chemical symbol for nitrogen.
o       Nitrogen is not in the 1st or 2nd column; therefore a Roman numeral is needed in
the name.
        O is the symbol for oxygen, whose root is “ox.” Add the “ide” ending to get oxide.
        At this point we have nitrogen (??) oxide.
        To find the Roman numeral….
         O has a charge of -2.
         2 oxygen atoms times -2 = -4. <---- total negative charge.
         The total positive charge must be +2.
         +2 divided by 2 (2 N atoms) = +1. The Roman numeral is I.
        Put the pieces together to get the name nitrogen (I) oxide.
 
Write the formula for carbon(IV) chloride.
        The symbol for carbon is C. The oxidation state is +4, as given by the Roman
numeral.
        Chloride is derived from chlorine. The charge on chlorine is -1.
                               +4   -1
         So far we have C  Cl
        The LCM of 4 and 1 is 4. We need 1 C atom (+4 ÷ +4 = 1) and 4 Cl atoms (-4 ÷ -1 =
4) to balance the charges.
        Putting it all together we have CCl4.
 
Write the formula for nitrogen (V) oxide.
        The symbol for nitrogen is N. The Roman numeral indicates a charge of +5.
        Oxide is derived from oxygen. The charge on oxygen is -2.
                                  +5    -2
        So far we have N  O
        The LCM of 5 and 2 is 10. Therefore, we need 2 N atoms and 5 O atoms to balance
the charges.
        Putting it all together we have N2O5.
 
Ternary Compounds
(A.K.A. Compounds that contain polyatomic ions)
 
An ion is an atom with an electric charge (positive or negative).
A polyatomic ion is a group of atoms with an electric charge. (Even though it is a group of
atoms it acts like it were a single atom.)
 
The names of nearly all polyatomic ions end with the letters –ate or –
ite. Beware three exceptions: cyanide, hydroxide, and peroxide. These ions end with “ide”
which can trick into thinking you have a binary compound when you actually have a ternary
compound.
 
Naming ternary compounds
Follow the naming systems for Type I and Type II binary compounds but…
DON’T CHANGE THE NAME OF THE POLYATOMIC ION.
 
Examples
Na2SO4  sodium sulfate
KH2PO4  potassium dihydrogen phosphate
Fe(NO3)3  iron (III) nitrate
Mn(OH)2  manganese (II) hydroxide
Na2SO3  sodium sulfite
Calcium hydroxide  Ca(OH)2
Sodium phosphate  Na3PO4
Ammonium dichromate  (NH4)2Cr2O7
Cobalt (II) perchlorate  Co(ClO4)2
Copper (II) nitrite  Cu(NO2)2
 
Naming Polyatomic Ions that Contain Oxygen
            There are many atoms that form several different polyatomic ions with oxygen. The
naming system for these ions is based on two things: the most common ion in each series and the
number of oxygen atoms compared to the most common ion. The ones that concern us most are
ions of phosphorus, sulfur, nitrogen, chlorine, and carbon. Memorize these ions!
 
            PO43-    = phosphate
            SO42-    = sulfate
            NO3-    = nitrate
            ClO3-    = chlorate
            CO32-   = carbonate
 
Naming Polyatomic Ions that Contain Oxygen
One more oxygen that the most common............... per___ate
Most common..................................................... ___ate
One less oxygen that the most common.................. ___ite
Two less oxygens than the most common............... hypo___ite
 
Examples
            PO53-    = perphosphate
            PO43-    = phosphate (most common)
            PO33-    = phosphite
            PO23-    = hypophosphite
 
            SO52-    = persulfate
            SO42-    = sulfate (most common)
            SO32-    = sulfite
            SO22-    = hyposulfite
 
            Note: Some of the ions do not exist in the real world, they are written here to show how
to use the naming system.
 
Naming Acids
            For this class, ALL acids begin with H (hydrogen). The names of ALL acids end with the
word “acid.” There are two types of acids: those that contain oxygen and those that do not.
 
Naming acids that DO NOT contain oxygen
1.         Take the name of the anion, add the prefix “hydro” and change the ending to “ic.”
2.         Add the word “acid.”
 
Name the compounds HF.
        We know this is an acid because the chemical formula starts with “H.”
        Take the name of the anion (fluoride) add the prefix “hydro” and change the ending
to “ic”: hydrofluoric
        Finally, add the word “acid.”
        hydrofluoric acid
 
Name the compound HCN.
        We know this is an acid because the chemical formula starts with “H.”
        There is no oxygen present so we start with the prefix “hydro.”
        Next, take the name of the anion (cyanide) and change the ending to “ic”:
hydrocyanic
        Finally, add the word “acid.”
        hydrocyanic acid
 
Write the formula for hydrobromic acid.
        We know the formula starts with “H” because it is an acid. The charge on hydrogen
is +1.
        We also know that the acid does not contain oxygen because of the “hydro” prefix.
        Removing the “hydro” and “ic” leaves us with “brom”, the root of bromine or Br.
The charge on bromine is -1.
                                          +1    -1
        So far we have H  Br
        Balance the charges to get the formula HBr.
 
Write the formula for hydrosulfuric acid.
        We know the formula starts with “H” because it is an acid. The charge on hydrogen
is +1.
        We also know that the acid does not contain oxygen because of the “hydro” prefix.
        Removing the “hydro” and “ic” leaves us with sulfur. The charge on sulfur is -2.
                                          +1   -2
        So far we have H  S
        Balance the charges to get the formula H2S.
 
Naming Acids the DO contain oxygen
1.         Find the name of the polyatomic ion.
2.         Change “ate” to “ic” or “ite” to “ous.”
3.         Add the word acid.
 
Name the compound HClO4.
        You know it’s an acid because it starts with H.
        ClO4- is the perchlorate ion.
        Change the “ate” to “ic” and get perchloric.
        Add the word acid and get perchloric acid.
 
Name the compound H2SO3.
        You know it’s an acid because it starts with H.
        SO32- is the sulfite ion.
        Change the “ite” to “ous” and get sulfous.
        Add the word acid and get sulfous acid.
o       The name is actually sulfurous acid, but I will count sulfous acid correct because
it follows the naming system.
 
Write the formula for phosphorous acid.
        The word acid tells us the first element is H. The charge on H is +1.
        We also know it is a ternary acid because the prefix “hydro” (meaning binary acid) is
missing.
        Change “ous” to “ite” to get phophite. The formula for phophite is PO3-3.
        Putting it together and balancing the charges we get H3PO3.
 
Assignment
 
Name each of the following compounds.
 
1.         MgO                                                                26.       Cu(OH)2
2.         ZnBr2                                                               27.       PCl5
3.         Ca(ClO3)2                                                        28.       LiNO3
4.         BaSO4                                                             29.       KH2PO4
5.         AgNO3                                                            30.       CuCN
6.         H2S                                                                  31.       KHCO3
7.         CaO                                                                 32.       NaHSO4
8.         H2CO3                                                             33.       Li2HPO4
9.         Mg3(PO4)2                                                       34.       H3PO4
10.       K2CrO4                                                            35.       MgSO4
11.       NaI                                                                  36.       Ca(IO2)2
12.       Al(NO2)3                                                          37.       SiO2
13.       ZnSe                                                                38.       CuCl
14.       Sn(MnO4)2                                                       39.       KClO4
15.       AsCl5                                                               40.       CaSO3
16.       CuSO3                                                             41.       NaBr
17.       HF                                                                   42.       P2O3
18.       Fe2 (SO4)3                                                        43.       HClO
19.       Sn(Cr2O7)2                                                       44.       N2O4
20.       AsCl3                                                               45.       NaH
21.       KCN                                                               46.       AlN
22.       NH4OH                                                           47.       PbC2O4
23.       Fe(ClO4)3                                                         48.       H2Se
24.       HNO2                                                              49.       H3PO2
25.       CS2                                                                  50.       CaH2
 
Write the formula for each of the following compounds.
 
51.       tin (II) nitrate                                                    76.       calcium bicarbonate
52.       zinc (II) phosphate                                            77.       calcium hydroxide
53.       hypophosphorous acid                                      78.       zinc (II) bisulfate
54.       iron (III) chloride                                              79.       silver (I) oxide
55.       lithium sulfide                                                    80.       chlorous acid
56.       silver (I) oxalate                                                81.       lead (IV) oxide
57.       perchloric acid                                                  82.       calcium acetate
58.       potassium permanganate                                   83.       sodium phosphate
59.       strontium hypochlorite                                       84.       copper (I) oxide
60.       copper (I) sulfite                                               85.       phosphorous acid
61.       carbon (IV) sulfide                                            86.       hydroiodic acid
62.       calcium oxide                                                    87.       sodium fluoride
63.       barium carbonate                                              88.       phosphorus (V) oxide
64.       antimony (III) dichromate                                  89.       sulfur (II) bromide
65.       silicon (IV) oxide                                              90.       aluminum (III) sulfate
66.       iron (II) carbonate                                            91.       nitrogen (III) oxide
67.       sodium cyanide                                                 92.       aluminum (III) iodide
68.       carbon (IV) chloride                                         93.       iron (III) phosphate
69.       cesium fluoride                                                  94.       zinc (II) perchlorate
70.       sodium chromate                                              95.       sodium dihydrogen phosphate
71.       hydrosulfuric acid                                              96.       sulfurous acid
72.       aluminum (III) oxide                                          97.       strontium carbonate
73.       ammonium phosphate                                       98.       copper (II) hydroxide
74.       boron (III) fluoride                                            99.       iron (II) oxalate
75.       radium sulfate                                                   100.     phosphorous (V) sulfide

Common Polyatomic Ions

 
Formula         Name
 
NH4+             ammonium
 
C2H3O2-        acetate
CO32-            carbonate
HCO3-           bicarbonate
ClO-              hypochlorite
ClO2-             chlorite
ClO3-             chlorate
ClO4-             perchlorate
CrO42-           chromate
Cr2O72-          dichromate
CN-               cyanide
OH-               hydroxide
NO2-             nitrite
NO3-             nitrate
MnO4-           permanganate
PO43-             phosphate
HPO42-          monohydrogen phosphate
H2PO4-          dihydrogen phosphate
SO32-             sulfite
SO42-             sulfate
HSO4-           bisulfate
C2O42-           oxalate
O22-               peroxide
 
Common Roots of Elements
 
Element                        Root
 
Arsenic                         arsen
Bromine                       brom
Carbon                         carb
Chlorine                       chlor
Fluorine                        fluor
Hydrogen                     hydr
Iodine                           iod
Nitrogen                       nitr
Oxygen                        ox
Phosphorus                  phosph
Selenium                       selen
Sulfur                           sulf
Tellurium                      tellur
In chemistry, an ionic compound is a chemical compound in which ions are held together by
ionic bonds. Usually, the positively charged portion consists of metal cations and the negatively
charged portion is an anion or polyatomic ion. Ionic compounds have high melting and boiling
points, and they tend to be hard and brittle.

Ions can be single atoms, as the sodium and chlorine in common table salt (sodium chloride), or
more complex groups such as the carbonate in calcium carbonate. But to be considered an ion,
they must carry a positive or negative charge. Thus, in an ionic bond, one ‘bonder’ must have a
positive charge and the other a negative one. By sticking to each other, they resolve, or partially
resolve, their separate charge imbalances. Positive to positive and negative to negative ionic
bonds do not occur.

For example, CuCl2 indicates a molecule where one Cu2+ cation associates with two Cl– anions
to form a neutral compound. Its systematic name is copper (II) chloride, where copper’s
oxidation number is indicated in parentheses. Its older name is cupric chloride.

A compound forms when two or more atoms of different elements share, donate, or accept
electrons. We are going to focus our attention on ionic compounds. We encounter many ionic
compounds every day, like sodium chloride, which is table salt, and sodium fluoride, which is found
in toothpaste.
Ionic compounds, just like the name suggests, are made of ions, which are charged particles
formed when electrons are transferred between atoms of different elements. The ions that make up
an ionic compound are a cation, which is a positive ion, and an anion, which is a negative ion.
For instance, sodium chloride is made of a cation (Na+) and an anion (Cl-). Another ionic compound,
magnesium hydroxide, is made of a cation (Mg2+) and an anion (OH-). These examples are shown
here:
 Examples of ionic compounds: Sodium Chloride and Magnesium
Hydroxide

How do we know that the ionic compound NaCl is called sodium chloride, and Mg(OH)2 is
magnesium hydroxide? In this lesson, we will learn how to name ionic compounds.

Naming Ionic Compounds

In science, it is important to have a system that we can follow in naming things. For instance, in
biology, there are rules that scientists follow in naming species. In chemistry, there are rules we
must follow in naming ionic compounds. There are different types of ionic compounds, but the
general rules in naming them are:

 Identify and name the cation

 Identify and name the anion

Binary Ionic Compounds

When we think of the word 'binary,' we think of the prefix 'bi-,' which means 'two.' Binary ionic
compounds, just like the name suggests, only have two atoms from different elements; one atom is
a metal, and the other atom is a nonmetal. How do we know which element is a metal and which is a
nonmetal? We can tell this from its position in the periodic table. The elements at the left side of the
stairs outlined in black are metals, and those on the right side of the stairs are nonmetals.

Metals and Nonmetals in the Periodic Table

Some examples of binary ionic compounds are shown here:

 Examples of Binary Ionic Compounds

How do we name binary ionic compounds? We follow the same general rules we just mentioned:

 Identify and name the cation; the cation is the metal.

 Identify and name the anion, and change the suffix to -ide; the anion is the nonmetal.

Let's use aluminum fluoride as an example. The cation is aluminum. The anion is the nonmetal, so,
for aluminum fluoride, the anion is fluorine, so we change the suffix of that to -ide. Then it becomes
fluoride. Here are other examples of binary ionic compounds and their names:

inary Ionic Compounds & Transition Metals

We are still talking about binary ionic compounds, but instead of an ordinary metal, we are talking
about transition metals. Transition metals are found in groups 3-12 in the periodic table.
 Transition Metals In the Periodic Table

Naming Ionic Compounds

Practice naming compounds and writing formulas. You learn by doing. Practice makes perfect.
Each formula and each name in chemistry has to be unique; it needs to refer to only one compound.
Write formulas in which the ionic charges are balanced so that a neutral molecule will have no net
charge.
(Note on notation: The number after the parentheses is usually written as a subscript. Here we write
it on the same line; no subscripts!) Variable oxidation numbers are represented by Roman numerals.

Problem 1:
Write the formulas for the following compounds: ammonium chloride, gallium arsenide, beryllium
bicarbonate, aluminum cyanide, ammonium sulfate, molybdenum sulfate, strontium acetate.

Answer 1:
(NH)4Cl, GaAs, Be(HC(O)3)2, Al(CN)3, (N(H)4)2S(O)4, Mo(S(O)4)3, Sr((C)2(H)3(O)2)2

Problem 2:
Name the following compounds:
Ca(Br)2, NaOH, Be(OH)2, ZnC(O)3, (N(H)4)2O, KOH, AgCN
Answer 2:
calcium bromide, sodium hydroxide, beryllium hydride, zinc carbonate, ammonium oxide, potassium
hydroxide, silver cyanide

Problem 3:
Write formulas for the following compounds:
diboron tetrahydride, gallium chloride, diphosphorus pentoxide, dinitrogen trioxide, phosphorous
trifluoride, aluminum hydroxide, zinc sulfide

Answer 3:
(B)2(H)4, Ca(Cl)3, (P)2(O)5, (N)2(O)3, P(F)3, Al(OH)3, ZnS

Problem 4:
Write the names of the following compounds:
Si(F)4, (Ag)3P(O)4, CO, (P)4, Si(O)2, N(H)3, (Na)2C(O)3

Answer 4:
silicon tetrafluoride, silver phosphate, carbon monoxide, phosphorous, silicon dioxide, ammonia,
sodium bicarbonate

A 

A molecular formula
 is a representation of a molecule  that uses chemical symbols to indicate the types of atoms
followed by subscripts to show the number of atoms of each type in the  molecule
. (A subscript is used only when more than one atom of a given type is present.) Molecular
formulas are also used as abbreviations for the names of compounds.

The 

structural formula
 for a 
compound
 gives the same information as its 
molecular formula
 (the types and numbers of atoms in the 
molecule
) but also shows how the atoms are connected in the 
molecule
. The 
structural formula
 for methane contains symbols for one C 
atom
 and four H atoms, indicating the number of atoms in the 
molecule
 (Figure 2.4.12.4.1). The lines represent bonds that hold the atoms together. (A chemical bond
is an attraction between atoms or ions that holds them together in a 
molecule
 or a crystal.) We will discuss chemical bonds and see how to predict the arrangement of atoms
in a 
molecule
 later. For now, simply know that the lines are an indication of how the atoms are connected in a 
molecule
. A ball-and-stick model shows the geometric arrangement of the atoms with atomic sizes not to
scale, and a space-filling model shows the relative sizes of the atoms.

A methane molecule can be represented as (a) a molecular formula, (b) a structural formula,
(c) a ball-and-stick model, and (d) a space-filling model. Carbon and hydrogen atoms are
represented by black and white spheres, respectively.

Although many elements consist of discrete, individual atoms, some exist as

molecules made up of two or more atoms of the 
element
 chemically bonded together. For example, most samples of the elements
hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are composed of molecules that contain two
atoms each (called diatomic molecules) and thus have the molecular formulas H2,
O2, and N2, respectively. Other elements commonly found as diatomic molecules
are fluorine (F2), chlorine (Cl2), bromine (Br2), and iodine (I2). The most common
form of the 
element
 sulfur is composed of molecules that consist of eight atoms of sulfur; its 
molecular formula is S8
A molecule of sulfur is composed of eight sulfur atoms and is therefore written as S8. It can be
represented as (a) a structural formula, (b) a ball-and-stick model, and (c) a space-filling
model. Sulfur atoms are represented by yellow spheres.

It is important to note that a subscript following a symbol and a number in front

of a symbol do not represent the same thing; for example, H2 and 2H represent
distinctly different species. H2 is a molecular formula; it represents a diatomic 
Molecule of hydrogen, consisting of two atoms of the 
element
 that are chemically bonded together. The expression 2H, on the other hand,
indicates two separate hydrogen atoms that are not combined as a 
unit
. The expression 2H2 represents two molecules of diatomic hydrogen

As discussed previously, we can describe a compound with a molecular formula

, in which the subscripts indicate the actual numbers of atoms of each element
 in a molecule of the compound. In many cases, the molecular formula
 of a substance is derived from experimental determination of both its 
empirical formula
 and its molecular 
mass
 (the sum of atomic masses for all atoms composing the 
molecule
). For example, it can be determined experimentally that benzene contains two
elements, carbon (C) and hydrogen (H), and that for every carbon 
atom
 in benzene, there is one hydrogen 
atom
. Thus, the 
empirical formula
 is CH. An experimental determination of the molecular 
mass
 reveals that a 
molecule
 of benzene contains six carbon atoms and six hydrogen atoms, so the 
molecular formula
 for benzene is C6H6

If we know a 
compound
’s formula, we can easily determine the 
empirical formula
. (This is somewhat of an academic exercise; the reverse chronology is generally
followed in actual practice.) For example, the 
molecular formula
 for acetic acid, the component that gives vinegar its sharp taste, is C2H4O2. This
formula indicates that a 
molecule
 of acetic acid (Figure 2.4.62.4.6) contains two carbon atoms, four hydrogen
atoms, and two oxygen atoms. The ratio of atoms is 2:4:2. Dividing by the
lowest common denominator (2) gives the simplest, whole-number ratio of
atoms, 1:2:1, so the 
empirical formula
 is CH2O. Note that a 
molecular formula
 is always a whole-number multiple of an 
empirical formula
.

(a) Vinegar contains acetic acid, C2H4O2, which has an empirical formula of CH2O. It can be
represented as (b) a structural formula and (c) as a ball-and-stick model. (credit a:
modification of work by “HomeSpot HQ”/Flickr)

Molecules of glucose (blood sugar) contain 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and
6 oxygen atoms. What are the molecular and empirical formulas of glucose?

Solution

(b) The 
(c) molecular formula
(d)  is C6H12O6 because one 
(e) molecule
(f)  actually contains 6 C, 12 H, and 6 O atoms. The simplest whole-number ratio of
C to H to O atoms in glucose is 1:2:1, so the 
(g) empirical formula
(h)  is CH2O.
(i) Exercise 2.4.12.4.1
(j) A 
(k) molecule
(l)  of metaldehyde (a pesticide used for snails and slugs) contains 8 carbon atoms,
16 hydrogen atoms, and 4 oxygen atoms. What are the molecular and empirical
formulas of metaldehyde?
(m) Answer
(n) It is important to be aware that it may be possible for the same atoms to be
arranged in different ways: Compounds with the same 
(o) molecular formula
(p)  may have different 
(q) atom
(r) -to-
(s) atom
(t)  bonding and therefore different structures. For example, could there be another 
(u) compound
(v)  with the same formula as acetic acid, C2H4O2? And if so, what would be the structure of
its molecules?
(w) If you predict that another 
(x) compound
(y)  with the formula C2H4O2 could exist, then you demonstrated good chemical insight and
are correct. Two C atoms, four H atoms, and two O atoms can also be arranged to form
methyl formate, which is used in manufacturing, as an insecticide, and for quick-drying
finishes. Methyl formate molecules have one of the oxygen atoms between the two
carbon atoms, differing from the arrangement in acetic acid molecules. Acetic acid and
methyl formate are examples of 
(z) isomers
—compounds with the same chemical formula but different molecular structures
(Figure 2.4.72.4.7). Note that this small difference in the arrangement of the atoms has a
major effect on their respective chemical properties. You would certainly not want to use a
solution of methyl formate as a substitute for a solution of acetic acid (vinegar) when you
make salad dressing.
Week 2

Chemistry is the experimental and theoretical study of materials on their properties at

both the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Understanding the relationship between
properties and structures/bonding is also a hot pursuit. Chemistry is traditionally divided
into organic and inorganic chemistry. The former is the study of compounds containing
at least one carbon-hydrogen bonds. By default, the chemical study of all other
substances is called inorganic chemistry, a less well defined subject.

However, the boundary between organic and inorganic compounds is not always well
defined. For example, oxalic acid, H2C2O4, is a compound formed in plants, and it is
generally considered an organic acid, but it does not contain any C-H bond. Inorganic
chemistry is also closely related to other disciplines such as materials sciences, physical
chemistry, thermodynamics, earth sciences, mineralogy, crystallography, spectroscopy
etc.

A chemical formula is a format used to express the structure of atoms. The formula tells
which elements and how many of each element are present in a compound. Formulas
are written using the elemental symbol of each atom and a subscript to denote the
number of elements. This notation can be accredited to Swedish chemist Jons Jakob
Berzeliu. The most common elements present in organic compounds are carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. With carbon and hydrogen present, other elements,
such as phosphorous, sulfur, silicon, and the halogens, may exist in organic
compounds. Compounds that do not pertain to this rule are called inorganic
compounds.

Understanding how atoms in a molecules are arranged and how they are bonded
together is very important in giving the molecule its identity. Isomers are
compounds in which two molecules can have the same
number of atoms, and thus the same molecular
formula, but can have completely different physical and
chemical properties because of differences in structural
formula.
 Methylpropane and butane have
the same molecular formula of C4H10, but are
structurally different
(methylpropane on the left, butane on the right).

Polymers

A polymer is formed when small molecules of identical structure, monomers,

combine into a large cluster. The monomers are joined together by covalent
bonds. When monomers repeat and bind, they form a polymer. While they can
be comprised of natural or synthetic molecules, polymers often include plastics
and rubber. When a molecule has more than one of these polymers, square
parenthesis are used to show that all the elements within the polymer are
multiplied by the subscript outside of the parenthesis. The subscript (shown as n
in the example below) denotes the number of monomers present in the
macromolecule (or polymer).
Ethylene becomes the polymer polyethylene.

Molecular Formula

The molecular formula is based on the actual makeup of the compound.

Although the molecular formula can sometimes be the same as the empirical
formula, molecular compounds tend to be more helpful. However, they do not
describe how the atoms are put together. Molecular compounds are also
misleading when dealing with isomers, which have the same number and types
of atoms (see above in molecular geometry and structural formula).

Ex. Molecular Formula for Ethanol: C2H6O.

Empirical Formula

An empirical formula shows the most basic form of a compound. Empirical

formulas show the number of atoms of each element in a compound in the most
simplified state using whole numbers. Empirical formulas tend to tell us very little
about a compound because one cannot determine the structure, shape, or
properties of the compound without knowing the molecular formula. Usefulness
of the empirical formula is decreased because many chemical compounds can
have the same empirical formula.

Ex. Find the empirical formula for C8H16O2.

Answer: C4H8O (divide all subscripts by 2 to get the smallest, whole number
ratio).

Structural Formula
A structural formula displays the atoms of the molecule in the order they are
bonded. It also depicts how the atoms are bonded to one another, for example
single, double, and triple covalent bond. Covalent bonds are shown using lines.
The number of dashes indicate whether the bond is a single, double, or triple
covalent bond. Structural formulas are helpful because they explain the
properties and structure of the compound which empirical and molecular
formulas cannot always represent.

Ex. Structural Formula for Ethanol:

File:Physical_Chemistry/Quantum_Mechanics/Atomic_Theory/Chemical_Compoun
ds/Formulas_of_Inorganic_and_Organic_Compounds/Ethanol_Jean_NEW.gif

Condensed Structural Formula

Condensed structural formulas show the order of atoms like a structural formula
but are written in a single line to save space and make it more convenient and
faster to write out. Condensed structural formulas are also helpful when showing
that a group of atoms is connected to a single atom in a compound. When this
happens, parenthesis are used around the group of atoms to show they are
together.

Ex. Condensed Structural Formula for Ethanol: CH3CH2OH (Molecular Formula

for Ethanol C2H6O).

Line-Angle Formula

Because organic compounds can be complex at times, line-angle formulas are

used to write carbon and hydrogen atoms more efficiently by replacing the
letters with lines. A carbon atom is present wherever a line intersects another
line. Hydrogen atoms are then assumed to complete each of carbon's four
bonds. All other atoms that are connected to carbon atoms are written out. Line
angle formulas help show structure and order of the atoms in a compound
making the advantages and disadvantages similar to structural formulas.
Ex. Line-Angle Formula for Ethanol:
File:Physical_Chemistry/Quantum_Mechanics/Atomic_Theory/Chemical_Compoun
ds/Formulas_of_Inorganic_and_Organic_Compounds/Line_Angle_Ethanol_Jean.g
if

Formulas of Inorganic Compounds

Inorganic compounds are typically not of biological origin. Inorganic compounds

are made up of atoms connected using ionic bonds. These inorganic compounds
can be binary compounds, binary acids, or polyatomic ions.

Binary compounds

Binary compounds are formed between two elements, either a metal paired with
a nonmetal or two nonmetals paired together. When a metal is paired with a
nonmetal, they form ionic compounds in which one is a negatively charged ion
and the other is positvely charged. The net charge of the compound must then
become neutral. Transition metals have different charges; therefore, it is
important to specify what type of ion it is during the naming of the compound.
When two nonmetals are paired together, the compound is a molecular
compound. When writing out the formula, the element with a positive oxidation
state is placed first.

Ex. Ionic Compound: BaBr2(Barium Bromide)

Ex. Molecular Compound: N2O4 (Dinitrogen Tetroxide)

Binary acids
Binary acids are binary compounds in which hydrogen bonds with a nonmetal
forming an acid. However, there are exceptions such as NH3, which is a base.
This is because it shows no tendency to produce a H+. Because hydrogen is
positively charged, it is placed first when writing out these binary acids.

Ex. HBr (Hydrobromic Acid)

Polyatomic ions

Polyatomic ions is formed when two or more atoms are connected with covalent
bonds. Cations are ions that have are postively charged, while anions are
negatively charged ions. The most common polyatomic ions that exists are those
of anions. The two main polyatomic cations are Ammonium and Mercury (I).
Many polyatomic ions are typically paired with metals using ionic bonds to form
chemical compounds.

Ex. MnO4- (Polyatomic ion); NaMnO4 (Chemical Compound)

Oxoacids

Many acids have three different elements to form ternary compounds. When one
of those three elements is oxygen, the acid is known as a oxoacid. In other
words, oxacids are compounds that contain hydrogen, oxgygen, and one other
element.

Ex. HNO3 (Nitric Acid)

Complex Compounds
Certain compounds can appear in multiple forms yet mean the same thing. A
common example is hydrates: water molecules bond to another compound or
element. When this happens, a dot is shown between H2O and the other part of
the compound. Because the H2O molecules are embedded within the compound,
the compound is not necessarily "wet". When hydrates are heated, the water in
the compound evaporates and the compound becomes anhydrous. These
compounds can be used to attract water such as CoCl2. When CoCl2 is dry,
CoCl2 is a blue color wherease the hexahydrate (written below) is pink in color.

Ex. CoCl2 ·6 H2O

Formulas of Organic Compounds

Organic compounds contain a combination carbon and hydrogen or carbon and

hydrogen with nitrogen and a few other elements, such as phosphorous, sulfur,
silicon, and the halogens. Most organic compounds are seen in biological origin,
as they are found in nature.

Hydrocarbons

Hydrocarbons are compounds that consist of only carbon and hydrogen atoms.
Hydrocarbons that are bonded together with only single bonds are alkanes. The
simplest example is methane (shown below). When hydrocarbons have one or
more double bonds, they are called alkenes. The simplest alkene is Ethene
(C2H4) which contains a double bond between the two carbon atoms.

File:Physical_Chemistry/Quantum_Mechanics/Atomic_Theory/Chemical_Compoun
ds/Formulas_of_Inorganic_and_Organic_Compounds/CH4_Jean.gif ethane123.gif

Ex. Methane on left, Ethene on right

Functional Groups

Functional groups are atoms connected to carbon chains or rings of organic

molecules. Compounds that are within a functional group tend to have similar
properties and characteristics. Two common functional groups are hydroxyl
groups and carboxyl groups. Hydroxyl groups end in -OH and are alcohols.
Carboxyl groups end in -COOH, making compounds containing -COOH carboxylic
acids. Functional groups also help with nomenclature by using prefixes to help
name the compounds that have similar chemical properties.

File:Physical_Chemistry/Quantum_Mechanics/Atomic_Theory/Chemical_Compoun
ds/Formulas_of_Inorganic_and_Organic_Compounds/Functional_Groups.gif

Ex. Hydroxyl Group on top; Carboxyl Group on bottom

References

Miessler, Gary L. Inorganic Chemistry. 2nd. Upper Saddle River: Prentince Hall,
1999.

Munowitz, Michael. Principles of Chemistry. Norton & Company: New York, 2000.

Pettrucci, Ralph H. General Chemistry: Principles and Modern Applications. 9th.

Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007.

Problems

Which of the following formulas are organic?

HClO

C5H10

CO2

What is the name of the following formula?

File:Physical_Chemistry/Quantum_Mechanics/Atomic_Theory/Chemical_Compoun
ds/Formulas_of_Inorganic_and_Organic_Compounds/Propane_Jean.gif

Classify the following formulas into their appropriate functional group

Acetic acid

Butanol

Oxalic acid

What are the empirical formulas for the following compounds?

C12H10O6

CH3CH2CH2CH2CH2CH2CH3

H3O

What is the name of the following figure and what is the molecular formula of
the following figure?

File:Physical_Chemistry/Quantum_Mechanics/Atomic_Theory/Chemical_Compoun
ds/Formulas_of_Inorganic_and_Organic_Compounds/Methylbutane.gif

Answer Key:

1. b and c. 2. Propane. 3. a. carboxyl group, b. hydroxyl group, c. carboxyl

group. 4. a. C6H5O3, b. C7H16, c. H3O. 5. Methylbutane, C5H12