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To make sure you understand the procedures for naming binary nonmetallic compounds (Type III), study Example 4.5 and then do Self-Check
Exercise 4.4.
Example 4.5
Naming Type III Binary Compounds: Summary
Name each of the following compounds.
a. PCl5
c. SF6
e. SO2
b. P4O6
d. SO3
f. N2O3
Solution
Compound
Name
a. PCl5
phosphorus pentachloride
b. P4O6
tetraphosphorus hexoxide
c. SF6
sulfur hexafluoride
d. SO3
sulfur trioxide
e. SO2
sulfur dioxide
f. N2O3
dinitrogen trioxide
Self-Check Exercise 4.4
Name the following compounds.
a. SiO2
b. O2F2
c. XeF6
Naming Binary Compounds: A Review
Objective: To review the naming of Type I, Type II, and Type III binary
compounds.
B
ecause different rules apply for naming various types of binary compounds, we will now consider an overall strategy to use for these compounds. We have considered three types of binary compounds, and naming
each type requires a different procedure.
W H AT I F ?
In this chapter, you have been
learning a systematic way to
name chemical compounds.
What if all compounds had only
common names? What problems might arise?
Type I: Ionic compounds with metals that always form a cation with
the same charge
Type II: Ionic compounds with metals (usually transition metals) that
form cations with various charges
Type III: Compounds that contain only nonmetals
In trying to determine which type of compound you are naming, use the
periodic table to help you identify metals and nonmetals and to determine
which elements are transition metals.
4.3 Naming Binary Compounds: A Review
97
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Binary compound?
Yes
Figure 4.1
A flow chart for naming binary compounds.
Metal present?
No
Yes
Type III:
Use prefixes.
Does the metal form
more than one cation?
No
Yes
Type II:
Determine the charge
of the cation; use a Roman
numeral after the element
name for the cation.
Type I:
Use the element
name for the cation.
The flow chart given in Figure 4.1 should help you as you name binary
compounds of the various types.
Example 4.6
Naming Binary Compounds: Summary
Name the following binary compounds.
a. CuO
c. B2O3
e. K2S
b. SrO
d. TiCl4
f. OF2
g. NH3
Solution
a.
CuO
Metal
present?
Yes
Does the metal
form more than
one cation?
Copper is a
transition
metal.
Type II:
Contains Cu2+.
Yes
The name of CuO is
copper (II) oxide.
b.
SrO
Metal
present?
Yes
Does the metal
form more than
one cation?
Sr (Group 2)
forms only
Sr2+.
No
Type I:
Cation takes
element name.
The name of SrO is
strontium oxide.
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Chapter 4 Nomenclature
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c.
B2O 3
Metal
present?
Type III:
Use prefixes.
No
The name of B2O3 is
diboron trioxide.
d.
TiCl4
Metal
present?
Does the metal
form more than
one cation?
Yes
Ti is a
transition
metal.
Type II:
Contains Ti4+.
Yes
The name of TiCl4 is
titanium(IV) chloride.
e.
K2 S
Metal
present?
Does the metal
form more than
one cation?
Yes
K (Group 1)
forms
only K+.
No
Type I
The name of K2S is
potassium sulfide.
f.
OF2
Metal
present?
Type III
No
The name of OF2 is
oxygen difluoride.
g.
NH3
Metal
present?
Type III
No
The name of NH3 is
ammonia. The systematic
name is never used.
Self-Check Exercise 4.5
Name the following binary compounds.
a. ClF3
c. CuCl
e. MgO
b. VF5
d. MnO2
f. H2O
4.3 Naming Binary Compounds: A Review
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