Naming

Compounds
(Ionic, Multivalent, Polyatomic and
Covalent
 Ionic Compounds
• Metals form positive ions (cations)
• Non-metals form negative ions (anions)
• Metals joined to nonmetals form ionic
compound
• Metals transfer their outer shell
electrons to nonmetals in order to fill
their outer shells.
• The # of valence electrons in each
element will determine the formula for
the ionic compound.
• Group 1 metals form + 1 ions.
• Group 2 metals form +2 ions.
• Group 13 metals form + 3 ions. Be sure these
  charges are
• Group 17 nonmetals form -1 ions. written on your
• Group 16 nonmetals form -2 ions. periodic table!
• Group 15 nonmetals form -3 ions.
Naming Ionic Compounds
■ Let’s look at this example: KCl
■ Name the metal (cation) first
■ Potassium
■ Name the non-metal (anion) next, end it with –
ide
■ Chlorine becomes chloride
■ Put together: Potassium chloride
 Example- Show the formation of
Na2O.

Name: _____________________
The subscript number by sodium represents the number of

sodium atoms needed to form that compound Na2

 Show the formation of CaCl2.

Name: __________________
The subscript number by chlorine represents the number of

chlorine atoms needed to form that compound Cl2

Show the formation of the following ionic compounds
using electron-dot structures (Lewis structures). Also
write the names of the compounds.
Structure Name

K3P

NaF

Al2O3

KF

Li2O

Ca3P2
 Writing Formulas For Ionic Compounds
using the Balancing Method

1.Write the cation and anion

Li+ O-2
Do these charges balance? NO

Li+ O-2
Li+
Do these charges balance? YES

Li2O (two Li atoms to balance one O atom)

 Formulas For Ionic Compounds
The Crisscross Method
(instead of drawing the LD diagrams)
 Examples:
Determine the formula for the compound that is
formed when Ba and Cl form a compound.

BaCl2
Barium chloride
Beryllium phosphide
 Practice
(write ions; check charges; balance charges; write formula)

Compound Ions Balanced? Cross Charges Formula

Mg+2
Magnesium Oxide Yes N/A MgO
O -2

Potassium Chloride

Beryllium Nitride

Barium Fluoride
 Writing Formulas
Based on the previous chart, if you’re given the
name of the compound, you write the formula!
■ Strontium nitride
■ Strontium is Sr2+ each Sr has 2e in the outer shell to give away

■ Nitride is N3- each N has 5e in the outer shell - it needs 3

■ Sr has 2 electrons to give away and N wants 3 electrons - LCM = 6 therefore you
will need 3 Strontium and 2 Nitrogen to balance their charges

■ Use the “balance charges” or “criss-cross method”

■ Answer is Sr3N2
■ Practice Worksheet
■ Naming Ionic Compounds Video
 Multivalent Ionic
bonding
■ Some elements are capable of forming
more than one ion

■ Example: Copper can be Cu+ or Cu2+

meaning it can donate 1 or 2 electrons

■ On the periodic table the box will have

both charges possible
■ When compounds are made with multivalent
elements, we must indicate which ion is
being used to make the compound.
■ Look at Iron on the PT
■ There is an option of Fe2+ and Fe3+
- if we combined Fe2+ with O2- we would have
FeO
■ FeO would be called Iron (II) oxide
■ It takes Fe2+ to balance out charges with O2-
■ We indicate the optional charge with roman
numerals; 2= II, 3=III, 4=IV and so on
■ The roman numeral is put after the cation
Because Fe is multivalent it can make
2 different compounds when
combined with oxygen
1.FeO - iron (II) oxide
2.Fe2O3 - iron (III) oxide

We indicate the optional charge with roman

numerals; 2= II, 3=III, 4=IV and so on
The roman numeral goes in brackets after the
cation
 Roman Numerals
Copy these roman numerals on the
back of your periodic table
 Practice Naming
1. FeCl2

2. MnO

3. Fe2O3

4. TiO2
 Practice Naming
1. FeCl2 Iron (II) chloride

2. MnO Manganese (II) oxide

3. Fe2O3 Iron (III) oxide

4. TiO2 Titanium (IV) oxide

 Practice & Homework
■ Naming Binary Ionic and Multivalent
Compounds Worksheet

Multivalent Practice
Writing Ionic Formulas Video
 Warm-Up
Name: Write Formulas:
1. MnO 1. Iron (III) nitride
2. RuBr3 2. Palladium (IV) iodide
3. NiS 3. Chromium (II) chloride
4. Ti2Se4 4. Nickel (III) Selenide
5. OsP 5. Gold (I) bromide
 Warm-Up - answers
Name:
1. Manganese (II) Oxide
2. Ruthenium (III) bromide
3. Nickel (II) sulfide
4. Titanium (IV) selenide
5. Osmium (III) phosphide
Warm-Up - answers

Write Formulas:
1. Iron (III) nitride FeN
2. Palladium (IV) iodide PdI4
3. Chromium (II) chloride CrCl2
4. Nickel (III) Selenide Ni2Se3
5. Gold (I) bromide AuBr
 Naming
With
Polyatomic
Ions
 Polyatomic Ions
■ Polyatomic ions are ions that contain
two or more atoms.

■ They are electrically charged, which

means that they are always looking to
gain or lose one or more electrons.

■ So, polyatomic ions basically look like

molecules (they only contain non-metals),
but with a charge.
■ Most polyatomic ions are anions, meaning
they have more electrons than the neutral
atoms that are in the ion.

■ Hydroxide (OH-) has one extra electron

beyond what the neutral oxygen and
hydrogen atoms would have

■ Although most are anions, there are

some, which are cations. The most
common is NH4+ (ammonium).
Naming with Polyatomic Ions
■ It is the same for naming ionic compounds
but you must use the names of the
polyatomic ions. (on the back of your PT)

■ The endings will not change to –ide (use

the name as it appears on the back of
your PT)

■ Examples:
■ LiOH Lithium hydroxide
■ NH4Cl Ammonium chloride
■ BaSO3 Barium sulfate
 Writing Formulas
■ When there is more than one of the
polyatomic ion needed you must show this
by placing the ion in brackets to show that
the subscript number applies to the whole
ion

■ Ex. Lithium hydroxide LiOH

■ No brackets because Li+ and OH- balance in a 1:1 ratio

■ Ex. Calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2

■ Use brackets because Ca2+ needs 2 OH- in order to
balance
 Try Some
■ Use the chart on the back of your
Periodic Table!
■ Write the name or formula for the
following:
■ NaOH
■ HCN
■ Magnesium nitrate
■ CaCO3
 Try Some
■ Use the chart on the back of your
Periodic Table!
■ Write the name or formula for the
following:
■ NaOH - sodium hydroxide
■ HCN - hydrogen cyanide
■ Magnesium nitrate - Mg(NO3)2
■ CaCO3 Calcium carbonate
 Practice & Homework
Polyatomic Compounds Video
■ Naming Polyatomic Compounds Pract
ice
 Covalent (Molecular) Bonds
Covalent Molecular bonds are between atoms
of two different non-metals.

So two elements from the right side of the

periodic table
1.The name of a binary molecular
compound ends in “ide”, just like the
name of a binary ionic compound.
2. The name and the formula usually begin with
the element that is more to the left on the
periodic table.
3. In the name, use a prefix to directly specify
the number of atoms of each element that
are present in a molecule. (* molecular
have no charges, so NO crossing over!)
 Number it Prefix
represents
1 mono
2 di
3 tri
4 tetra
5 penta
6 hexa
 Naming the Oxides of Nitrogen
(a compound made up of only
Nitrogen and Oxygen)
Formula Name

NO nitrogen monoxide

N2O dinitrogen monoxide

NO2 nitrogen dioxide

N 2 O3 dinitrogen trioxide

N 2 O4 dinitrogen tetroxide

N 2 O5 dinitrogen pentoxide
Write the correct name for each
of the following.
Formula Name

PCl5

NI3

Br3F2

C2O4
Write the correct name for each
of the following.
Compound Name Formula

pentanitrogen hexoxide

sulfur trioxide

carbon dioxide

trinitrogen tetraoxide
 Naming Compounds Flowchart

Is there a METAL in the compound?

YES NO

Is the METAL a TRANSITION METAL? Is the first element Hydrogen?

NO YES NO YES

Count the different elements Count the different elements Acid

2 elements H + Element
Metal / 3 or more elements
2 elements 3 or more elements Hydro + root anion + -ic acid
Nonmetal Metal / Poly Ion
Tran Metal / Tran Metal / Poly
Ionic Ionic Ternary Nonmetal Ion H + Polyatomic ion
Binary Ionic Binary Ionic Ternary •Poly ion ending in –ate
Root anion + -ic acid
•Poly ion ending in –ite
• Name metal first Root anion + -ous acid
• Name transition metal first
• Name nonmetal • Determine charge of Count the different Root anion = 1st part of
second and change
transition metal and write as elements polyatomic ion name or element
ending to “-ide”
Roman Numeral after name
• Name nonmetal second and
change ending to “-ide”
1 element 2 elements
• Name metal first
Diatomic molecule Covalent Binary
• Name polyatomic
ion second • Name transition metal first
• DO NOT change • Determine charge of Br2 I2 N2 Cl2 H2 O2 F2 • Name first element, using
ending to “-ide” transition metal and write as prefixes (except “mono-”)
• Name the element
Roman Numeral after name (Prefixes indicate how
many of each element is
• Name polyatomic ion second in the compound)
• DO NOT change ending to “- • Name second element, using
ide” prefixes (including “mono-”)
• Change ending to “-ide”
Practice Sheet