Naming Inorganic Compounds

1
Naming Inorganic Compounds
2
Rule 1 Metals with a Single Oxidation Number
Bound to Non-Metals

• The metal will take its positive oxidation number
  and the non-metal will have to take its negative
  oxidation number.
• Only one compound can be formed

3
Rule 1 Metals with a Single Oxidation Number
Bound to Non-Metals

• Example 1 Sodium reacts with oxygen to produce
  Na2O, what is the name of this compound
• Since there is only one possible compound, we do
  not have to indicate the number of elements
• sodium oxide

4
Rule 1 Metals with a Single Oxidation Number
Bound to Non-Metals

• Example 2 What is the chemical formula for
  aluminum oxide
• First write the symbols of the elements
• Next write the oxidation number of each element
  above that element
• Switch the oxidation numbers and reduce

-2
3
2
5
Comprehension Check

• What is the name of Mg3N2?
• magnesium nitride
• What is the name of Li2Se?
• lithium selenide
• What is the formula for indium chloride?
• InCl3
• What is the formula for hafnium phosphide?
• Hf3P4

6
Rule 2 Metals with Multiple Oxidation Numbers
Bound to Non-Metals

• The metal will take one of its positive oxidation
  numbers and the non-metal will have to take its
  negative oxidation number.
• Since the metal has more than one possible
  oxidation number, multiple compounds can be
  formed
• We need a distinct name for each

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Rule 2 Metals with Multiple Oxidation Numbers
Bound to Non-Metals

• Example 1 What is the name of IrBr6?
• First we need to determine how many electrons
  that iridium needs to lose in order to satisfy 6
  bromine atoms.
• Each bromine needs one electron
• There is only one iridium in this compound
• Therefore, the iridium atom will have to supply
  all six electrons, giving it a 6 oxidation
  number.
• iridium(VI) bromide

8
Rule 2 Metals with Multiple Oxidation Numbers
Bound to Non-Metals

• Example 2 What is the formula for mercury(II)
  nitride?
• First write the symbols of the elements
• Next write the oxidation number of each element
  above that element
• Switch the oxidation numbers and reduce

-3
2
3
9
Comprehension Check

• What is the name of RuN?
• ruthenium(III) nitride
• What is the name of MnO3
• manganese(VI) oxide
• What is the formula for paladium(IV) bromide?
• PdBr4
• What is the formula for molybdenum(V) sulfide?
• Mo2S5

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Rule 3 Nonmetals Bound to Nonmetals

• Since nonmetals have more than one oxidation
  number, there will always be more than one
  compound produced
• Therefore we have to have a distinct name for
  each compound
• To do this we use a prefix to indicate how many
  atoms of each element are present

Five penta- Six hexa- Seven hepta- Eight
octa-
One mono- Two di- Three tri- Four tetra-
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Rule 3 Nonmetals Bound to Nonmetals

• Using prefixes
• The prefix mono- is only used on the second
  element
• Ex PF3 is named phosphorus trifluoride
• If two vowels are adjacent, leave them
• Ex NI3 is named nitrogen triiodide
• In the case of monoxide only, drop one o

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Rule 3 Nonmetals Bound to Nonmetals

• Ex 1 What is the name of P2S3?
• diphosphorus trisulfide
• Ex 2 What is the name of As7I3?
• heptaarsenic triiodide
• Ex 3 What is the chemical formula of dihydrogen
  monoxide?
• H2O
• Ex 4 What is the chemical formula of dinitrogen
  pentaoxide?
• N2O5

13
Rule 4 Metals with a single Oxidation Number
Bound to Polyatomic Ions

• Polyatomic Ions strongly bound group of atoms
  that have either lost or gained electrons and
  become charged.
• List of common Polyatomic Ions are on the back of
  your Periodic Table
• Polyatomic ions act as a single atom, with a
  single name
• Subscripts within the ion cannot be changed
• Since there is only one oxidation number for the
  metals and Polyatomic Ion, only one compound can
  be produced.

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Rule 4 Metals with a single Oxidation Number
Bound to Polyatomic Ions

• Naming these compounds is just like rule 1,
  except we do not add ide to the end of the
  polyatomic ion

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Rule 4 Metals with a single Oxidation Number
Bound to Polyatomic Ions

• What is the name of Mg(NO3)2
• First, you should recognize that there are more
  than two elements involved, which means that a
  Polyatomic Ion is involved
• Next, look up the Metal in the periodic table and
  confirm that it has a single oxidation number
• Look up the name of the Polyatomic Ion
• magnesium nitrate

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Rule 4 Metals with a single Oxidation Number
Bound to Polyatomic Ions

• What is the formula for calcium iodite?
• First, since the second name does not end in
  ide, a polyatomic ion is involved.
• Write the symbol for calcium and formula for
  iodite.
• Write the oxidation numbers above the metal and
  the polyatomic ion
• Switch the numbers, and use parenthesis around
  the polyatomic ion if necessary

-1
2
1
( )
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Comprehension Check

• What is the name of KHSO4?
• potassium hydrogen sulfate
• potassium bisulfate
• What is the name of In2(C2O4)3?
• indium oxalate
• What is the formula of strontium bromate?
• Sr(BrO3)2
• What is the formula for germanium phosphate?
• Ge3(PO4)4

18
Rule 5 Metals with Multiple Oxidation Numbers
Bound to Polyatomic Ions

• When the metal has more than one possible
  oxidation number, more than one compound can be
  formed
• We must use Roman Numerals to indicate which
  oxidation number the metal is using

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Rule 5 Metals with Multiple Oxidation Numbers
Bound to Polyatomic Ions

• What is the name of RhMnO4?
• First, there are more than two elements involved
• Look up the oxidation and name of MnO4
• It could be permanganate (-1) or manganate (-2)
• Finally, figure out which oxidation number the
  metal is using.
• If this is permanganate, rhodium would have to
  have a 1 oxidation number, this is not possible
  for rhodium.
• Therefore, this must be manganate, so rhodium
  would have to take its 2 oxidation number
• rhodium(II) manganate

20
Rule 5 Metals with Multiple Oxidation Numbers
Bound to Polyatomic Ions

• What is the formula for nickel(II) ferrocyanide?
• First, since the second name does not end in
  -ide, a polyatomic ion is involved
• Write the symbol for nickel and formula for
  ferrocyanide
• Write the oxidation numbers above the metal and
  the polyatomic ion
• Switch the numbers, and use parenthesis around
  the polyatomic ion if necessary and reduce

-4
2
4
( )
2
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Comprehension Check

• What is the name of Cr(IO)3?
• chromium(III) hypoiodite
• What is the name of CuMnO4?
• copper(II) manganate or copper(I) permanganate
• What is the formula for palladium(IV)
  ferricyanide?
• Pd3(Fe(CN)6)4
• What is the formula for molybdenum(VI)
  dichormate?
• Mo(Cr2O7)3

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Rule 6 Binary Acids

• Acid any compound that is capable of giving up
  a positive hydrogen ion (proton)
• Strength of acid depends on how easily the
  hydrogen ion is released
• Anytime a compound starts with H, the compound is
  typically an acid
• Water (H2O) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are
  noteworthy exceptions

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Rule 6 Binary Acids

• Ex 1 What is the name of HCl?
• Since the compound starts with H, it is probably
  an acid.
• Use the prefix hydro-, the suffix -ic, and the
  word acid
• hydrochloric acid

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Comprehension Check

• What is the name of HAt?
• hydroastatic acid
• What is the name of HBr?
• hydrobromic acid
• What is the formula for hydroiodic acid?
• HI
• What is the formula for hydrofluoric acid?
• HF

25
Rule 7 Polyatomic Acids

• Identifying Polyatomic Acids
• Formula will start with H
• Has three or more elements
• Naming depends on the ending of the Polyatomic
  Ion
• Ions ending in -ate or -ide
• Ions ending in -ite

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Rule 7 Polyatomic Acids

• Ex 1 What is the name of H3PO4?
• First, notice that since the compound starts with
  H, we are dealing with an acid
• Also, there are more than two elements we should
  think polyatomic ion
• Next, look up the name of the polyatomic ion
• Since phosphate ends in -ate, change the suffix
  to -ic and add the word acid.
• phosphoric acid

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Rule 7 Polyatomic Acids

• Ex 2 What is the name of H3PO3?
• First, notice that since the compound starts with
  H, we are dealing with an acid
• Also, there are more than two elements we should
  think polyatomic ion
• Next, look up the name of the polyatomic ion
• Since phosphite ends in -ite, change the suffix
  to -ous and add the word acid.
• phosphorous acid

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Rule 7 Polyatomic Acids

• Ex 3 What is the formula for aluminic acid?
• Since there is no hydro prefix, we know that this
  must be a polyatomic acid.
• Next, the -ic ending means that the ion must
  really end in -ate
• We must be looking of the aluminate ion
• Because this is an acid, hydrogen will be
  involved
• Write the symbols and oxidation numbers, switch
  the oxidation numbers, and reduce.

1
3
-3
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Comprehension Check

• What is the formula for manganic acid?
• H2MnO4
• What is the formula for sulfurous acid?
• H2SO3
• What is the name of HNO2?
• nitrous acid
• What is the name of HNO3?
• nitric acid