Nomenclature of Inorganic Compounds
Common Names
No choice but memorization
Water - H2O
Baking Soda - NaHCO3
Brimstone - S
Grain Alcohol - C2H5OH
Laughing Gas - N2O
Common Names
Lye, or caustic soda - NaOH
Muriatic Acid - HCl
Table Salt - NaCl
Vinegar - HC2H3O2
Wood Alcohol - CH3OH
Elements
Formula is usually the symbol for the element.
Except HOFBrINCl, S8, and P4.
Monatomic Cations
Formed by the loss of 1 or more electrons from a
neutral element.
Name is the same as the neutral element.
If that element can form more than one cation,
use a Roman Numeral, or it’s classical name.
CLASSICAL NAMES ARE IN
TABLE 6.4 PG. 107
Monatomic Anions
Formed by adding 1 or more electrons to a neutral
element.
Anions consisting of only 1 element are named by
changing the ending of the element’s name to
“ide”.
GIVEN THE FORMULA,
DETERMINE THE NAME
Binary Ionic Compounds
Binary Molecular Compounds
Ternary Ionic Compounds
Binary Acids
Ternary Acids
Hydrates
Binary Ionic
Compounds
One metal element and one nonmetal element.
The cation is the first element, the anion is the
second.
The name of a binary ionic compound is:
2 elements
binary
Name of the cation, then
name of the anion.
Binary Ionic
Compounds
If the metal can have more than one
charge, calculate the charge on the
metal so you know it’s name.
(charge on anion)  (number of units of anion in formula)
Charge on cation = 
(number of atoms of cation in formula)
Binary Molecular
Compounds
2 nonmetal elements.
The name of a binary molecular compound is:
Name of the first element, then
name of the second element,
changing it’s ending to “ide”.
USE PREFIXES!
MEMORIZE LIST ON PG. 108
NO “MONO” for first element.
Ternary Ionic
Compounds
3 or more different elements in the compound.
The cation (usually a metal, but could be a
polyatomic ion), is written first.
The anion (usually a polyatomic ion) is written
second.
The name of a ternary ionic compound is:
Name of the cation, then
name of the anion.
Ternary Ionic
Compounds
MEMORIZE POLYATOMIC IONS!
(TABLE 6.6 PG. 111) + OXY-ANIONS
IN TABLE 6.7 PG. 111 + 8 OTHERS
THE 8 OTHERS ARE:
NAME
Hypobromite
Bromite
Bromate
Perbromate
Hypoiodite
FORMULA

BrO

BrO 2

BrO 3

BrO 4

IO
CHARGE
-1
-1
-1
-1
-1
IO

2
-1
Iodate
IO

3
-1
Periodate
IO 4
-1
Iodite
Binary Acids
“H” is the first element for all acids, each of these has a
charge of +1.
In a binary acid there is only one other element, the
anion.
The name of a binary acid ALWAYS is of the form:
Hydro______ic Acid
Here the root of the anion fills in the blank.
Ternary Acids
Begins with “H”, each of which has a +1 charge.
Followed by a polyatomic ion.
Change the ending of the polyatomic ion:
“ate” -> “ic”
“ite” -> “ous”
Ternary Acids
To name a ternary acid:
Say the name of the polyatomic ion
after you change it’s ending, then
say “acid”.
HYDRATES
1. Say the name of the ionic compound
2. Say the number in front of the “H2O” using the
same prefixes we used in binary molecular
compounds.
3. Say Hydrate
Given the name, write
the formula
The name will tell you what type of compound
it is.
Having memorized the names of the polyatomic
ions, you will recognize them. They are in ternary
ionic compounds.
The acids all have the word “acid” in their names.
Binary acids ALWAYS fit the form: Hydro____ic
Acid
Given the name, write
the formula
Binary molecular compounds are the ONLY ones
(except for hydrates, see below) that use the
prefixes.
Hydrates are the ONLY ones with the word
“hydrate”.
The name of a cation that can have more than one
type of charge will tell you what that charge is.