Naming Inorganic Compounds

I. Is compound ionic, molecular, or an acid?

A. Ionic compounds contain a metal and nonmetal, or a polyatomic ion (Na2O, FeSO4)
B. Molecular compounds contain two nonmetals (CO2, PCl3)
C. Inorganic acids start with an H (HCl, H2SO4)

II. Ionic
A. Positive ion is given name of element
B. If positive ion is transition element, you must specify its charge with Roman numeral
C. Negative ion name combines stem of element with “ide”
D. You must know the names, formulas, and charges of polyatomic ions
E. Examples
1. Na2O
a. Positive ion is Na+. Don’t specify charge. Group I ions always +1
b. Negative ion is O2-.
c. sodium oxide
2. FeSO4:
a. Positive ion is Fe2+.
i) We know it is +2 because the negative ion is sulfate, SO42-
ii) Transition metal, so must specify its charge iron(II)
b. iron(II) sulfate
3. K2O2
a. Positive ion is K+. Like Na+, don’t need to specify charge.
b, Negative ion must be O22-. Must have -2 charge to balance two K+ ions
i) O22- is the peroxide polyatomic ion.
c. potassium peroxide
4. (NH4)2CO3
a. This compound contains two polyatomic ions, NH4+ and CO32-
b. Ammonium carbonate
5. CaH2
a. Positive ion is Ca2+. No need to specify charge
b. Negative ion is H-
c. calcium hydride
6. CrCl3
a. Positive ion is transition metal. Must specify charge
b. Negative ion is Cl-. There are three Cl- ions so chromium must be Cr3+
c. chromium(III) chloride
III. Molecular
A. First element in formula is named as element
B. Second element in formula combines stem of element with “ide”
C. Use Greek prefixes to specify number of elements
1. “mono” usually is omitted for first element
D. Examples
1. CO carbon monoxide
2. CO2 carbon dioxide
3. PCl3 phosphorus trichloride
4. P2O5 diphosphorus pentoxide

IV. Inorganic Acids

A. Simple acids (H plus element)
1. Name = “hydro” plus stem plus “ic” acid
2. Examples
a. HF hydrofluoric acid
b. HCl hydrochloric acid
c. HBr hydrobromic acid
d. HI hydroiodic acid
B. Oxy acids
1. Know names and formulas of common “ic” acids
a. HNO3 nitric acid
b. H2SO4 sulfuric acid
c. HClO3 choric acid
d. H3PO4 phosphoric acid
2. Naming other oxy acids
a. One more O than “ic” acid: Add “per” prefix
i) HClO4 perchloric acid
b. One less O than “ic” acid. “ous” acid
i) HClO2 chlorous acid
c. Two less O than “ic” acid Add “hypo” prefix to “ous” acid
i) HClO hypochlorous acid

C. Anions of oxy acids

1. “ic” acid becomes “ate” anion
2. “ous” acid becomes “ite” anion
3. Examples
a. ClO3- (related to HClO3) chlorate
b. ClO4- (related to HClO4) perchlorate
c. ClO2- (related to HClO2) chlorite
d. ClO- (related to HClO) hypochlorite