CHEM121
General Chemistry
Nomenclature of Binary Compounds
Rules
I.
Metal Having a Single Common Oxidation State with a Non-Metal
a) Name the Metal first.
b) Name the Non-Metal second; using an –ide ending.
Ex: MgCl2
Magnesium Chloride
II.
Metal Having Multiple Common Oxidation States with a Non-Metal
a) As before, except the Metal’s oxidation state is indicated according to:
Classical System
Add a suffix of –ous if the metal is in its lower common oxidation
state. Add a suffix of –ic if it is in its higher common oxidation state.
Use the element’s Latin name if appropriate; except for Mercury.
Ex:
CuCl
Cuprous Chloride
CuCl2
Cupric Chloride
Systematic System
Add the oxidation state using a Roman numeral bracketed by parentheses.
Ex:
III.
CuCl
Copper (I) Chloride
CuCl2
Copper (II) Chloride
Non-Metal with a Non-Metal
a) Name the more “metal-like” element first. (See below for correct ordering.)
b) Use an –ide ending for the second element.
c) Use a Greek prefix (see below) to indicate the number of atoms for each element;
unless it is the first element and only one common case occurs.
Ex:
CO2
Carbon Dioxide
IV. Polyatomic Ions
a) Many of the above rules are useful when dealing with compounds of polyatomic ions.
Ex:
Cu2SO4
Cuprous Sulfate or Copper (I) Sulfate
Conventions
(-ide) Endings for the Non-Metals
Group 4A
Group 5A
Group 6A
Group 7A
Carbide
Nitride
Oxide
Fluoride
Phosphide
Sulfide
Chloride
Arsenide
Selenide
Bromide
Telluride
Iodide
Ordering for Non-Metal with Non-Metal Compounds
Element:
B
Si C Sb As P N
Group:
3A
4A
Greek Prefixes
Number
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten
Prefix
monoditritetrapentahexaheptaoctanonadeca-
5A
H
Te Se S
I Br Cl
6A
7A
O F
Latin Names of the Elements
English Name
Antimony
Copper
Gold
Iron
Lead
Mercury
Potassium
Silver
Sodium
Tin
Latin Name
Stibium
Cuprum
Aurum
Ferrum
Plumbum
Hydragyrum
Kalium
Argentum
Natrium
Stannum
Symbol
Sb
Cu
Au
Fe
Pb
Hg
K
Ag
Na
Sn
Exercises
Name the following compounds:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
j)
k)
l)
m)
n)
o)
p)
q)
KI
CaF2
MgCl2
FeCl2
Na2S
CuO
KNO2
LiCN
NH4I
NaNO3
KMnO4
CaSO4
CBr4
Cl2O7
P4S10
I2O5
Provide chemical formulas for the following compounds:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
l)
Calcium Sulfide
Aluminum Oxide
Iron (II) Sulfide
Copper (I) Chloride
Lithium Hydroxide
Sodium Carbonate
Calcium Oxalate
Zinc Nitrite
Dititrogen Tetroxide
Bromine Trichloride
Nitrogen Triiodide
Disulfur Difluoride