Naming Compounds Handout

IONIC COMPOUNDS versus MOLECULAR COMPOUNDS

ionic compound: consist of cations (positive ions) and anions (negative ions)
held together by electrostatic attraction
– usually metal + nonmetal(s)
– made of monatomic ions, polyatomic ions, and/or both
– monatomic ions: consist of a single atom
– polyatomic ions: consist of more than one atom

molecular compound: consist of nonmetal atoms bonded together by

shared electrons (covalent bonding)
– acid: a molecular compound that releases
+
hydrogen ions (H ) when dissolved in water

NAMING MONATOMIC CATIONS:

Metal atoms lose valence electrons to form positively charged ions, called cations.

An ion formed from an individual atom is a monatomic (or monoatomic) cation.

I. Groups IA, IIA, IIIA elements silver (Ag), and zinc (Zn) form only one type of ion:
+ + + +
– Group IA elements form +1 ions: H , Li , Na , K
+2 +2 +2 +2 +2
– Group IIA elements form +2 ions: Be , Mg , Ca , Sr , Ba
+3
– Group IIIA elements form +3 ions: Al
+ +2
– silver ion = Ag ; zinc ion = Zn

When a Group IA, IIA, IIIA element, silver, or zinc forms an ion, it is named:

element name + ion

+ +2 +2
e.g. Na = sodium ion Sr = strontium ion Zn = zinc ion

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 II. The Stock system is used to name transition metals and other metals that
form more than one ion:
+2 +3
– iron (Fe) forms two ions: Fe and Fe
+2 +4
– lead (Pb) forms two ions: Pb and Pb

When a metal can form more than one ion, each ion is named:

element name (charge in Roman numerals) + ion

+2 +2 +
e.g. Fe = iron (II) ion Pb = lead (II) ion Cu = copper (I) ion
+3 +4 +2
Fe = iron (III) ion Pb = lead (IV) ion Cu = copper (II) ion

Name each of the following monatomic cations:

+ +2
Li = _________________________ Ba = _________________________

+ +2
Ag = _________________________ Cu = _________________________

+3 +2
Al = ________________________ Mg = _________________________

+2 +4
Mn = ________________________ Sn = _________________________

+ +3
H = _________________________ Co = _________________________

+3 +
Fe = ________________________ Na = _________________________

+ +4
K = ________________________ Ti = _________________________

+2 +2
Ca = ________________________ Ni = _________________________

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NAMING MONATOMIC ANIONS:

Nonmetal atoms gain valence electrons to form negatively charged ions called
anions.

When a nonmetal forms an ion, it is named:

element stem name + “ide” + ion

–2
e.g. O = oxygen atom ⇒ O = oxide ion
–3
N = nitrogen atom ⇒ N = nitride ion

Name each of the following monatomic anions:

– –
F = _________________________ Cl = _________________________

– –2
Br = _________________________ S = _________________________

– –3
I = _________________________ P = _________________________

NAMING POLYATOMIC IONS:

Ions made up of more than one atom are polyatomic ions:
+
– only one polyatomic cation: NH4 = ammonium ion
– many polyatomic anions: see table below

NH4+= ammonium ion Polyatomic Ions

– – –
OH = hydroxide ion NO2 = nitrite ion C2H3O2 = acetate ion
– – –3
CN = cyanide ion NO3 = nitrate ion PO4 = phosphate ion
–2 –2 –
CrO4 = chromate ion SO4 = sulfate ion MnO4 = permanganate ion
–2 –2 –2
Cr2O7 = dichromate ion SO3 = sulfite ion CO3 = carbonate ion
–
HCO3 = hydrogen carbonate ion or bicarbonate ion

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Name each of the following polyatomic ions:

– –2
CN = _________________________ CrO4 = _______________________

–2 –
SO4 = _________________________ NO3 = ________________________

– –3
OH = _________________________ PO 4 = ________________________

+ –
NH 4 = _________________________ C 2H3O 2 = _____________________

WRITING CHEMICAL FORMULAS GIVEN INDIVIDUAL IONS

Compounds must be neutral ⇒ total +ve charge = total –ve charge

1. If the two ions have exactly opposite charges (+1 and –1, +2 and –2, +3 and –3)
⇒ formula of the compound contains one of each ion
+ – + –
e.g. Na + Cl ⇒ NaCl K + NO3 ⇒ KNO3
+2 –2 +2 –2
Ca + S ⇒ CaS Ba + SO4 ⇒ BaSO4
+3 –3 +3 –3
Al + N ⇒ AlN Fe + PO4 ⇒ FePO4

Combine each pair of ions to get the formula of the compound they form:

+ – + –
NH4 + F ⇒ _____________ Li + CN ⇒ _____________

+2 –2 +3 –3
Sr + CO3 ⇒ _____________ Al + PO4 ⇒ _____________

+ – + –
Na + C2 H 3 O 2 ⇒ _____________ K + OH ⇒ _____________

+2 –2 +3 –3
Ni + CrO4 ⇒ _____________ Fe + N ⇒ _____________

+2 –2 +3 –3
Cu + SO4 ⇒ _____________ Co + P ⇒ _____________
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 2a. If two monatomic ions have different charges
⇒ use crossover rule to get formula of the compound
– superscript for cation becomes subscript for anion
– superscript for anion becomes subscript for cation
– simplify subscripts to get lowest ratio of atoms
(Note: Only the numbers cross down, not the signs!)

Na+ S 2–
> Ba2+ N3–
> > Ti
4+
O>
>
2–

Na2S Ba3N2 TiO2

Ti2O4 is simplified!

b. If two ions have different charges and at least polyatomic ion is involved
⇒ use crossover rule to get formula of the compound
– if more than one of polyatomic ion in formula, use parentheses
– simplify subscripts to get lowest ratio of atoms
(Note: Again only the numbers cross down, not the signs!)

2+
NH+4 O2–
–
> Ca NO3> Pb>4+ CO2–
3>
(NH4)2O Ca(NO3)2 Pb(CO3)2
Pb2(CO3)4 is simplified!

Combine each pair of ions to get the formula of the compound they form:

+ –2 +4 –2 + –3
Cu O Sn SO4 K P

+ –2 +3 –2 +2 –3
Li CO3 Fe S Ni PO4

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CHEMICAL FORMULAS AND NAMES FROM INDIVIDUAL IONS
Compounds are named from the individual ions they come from.

Name the cation and the anion, then remove “ion” from each name:
+
e.g. Na = sodium ion
–
Cl = chloride ion ⇒ NaCl = sodium chloride
+
K = potassium ion
–2
CO3 = carbonate ion ⇒ K2CO3 = potassium carbonate
+3
Fe = iron (III) ion
–
NO3 = nitrate ion ⇒ Fe(NO3)3 = iron (III) nitrate
+
Ag = silver ion
–2
S = sulfide ion ⇒ Ag2S = silver sulfide

Combine each pair of ions to get the chemical formula, then name the compound:

Individual ions Compound Formula Compound Name

+2 –
Mg F _____MgF2______ ______magnesium fluoride_____

+2 –2
Ni S _______________ ___________________________

+2 –
Ca Br _______________ ___________________________

+3 –3
Al P _______________ ___________________________

+2 –
Co NO2 _______________ ___________________________

+ –2
K CrO4 _______________ ___________________________

+3 –2
Fe O _______________ ___________________________

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GIVEN THE CHEMICAL FORMULA, NAME THE COMPOUND

1. If the metal is in Groups IA–IIIA, silver, cadmium, or zinc, then just name the
metal cation and the anion:

e.g. NaCl ⇒ Na = sodium and Cl = chloride ⇒ sodium chloride

BaI2 ⇒ Ba = barium and I = iodide ⇒ barium iodide
Al(OH)3 ⇒ Al = aluminum and OH = hydroxide ⇒ aluminum hydroxide
ZnSO4 ⇒ Zn = zinc and SO4 = sulfate ⇒ zinc sulfate

2. If the metal can form more than one ion,

a. Determine the charge on the cation using the charge on the anion.
b. Name the cation and the anion, then remove “ion” from both

e.g. Ni Br2 ⇒ Since the ion formed is Br–, then 2 Br’s have an
overall negative charge of –2. To get an overall
charge of zero for the compound, the overall
positive charge must be +2. Thus, Ni must have a
charge of +2, so the ion nickel forms is Ni+2.
+2 –
⇒ Ni = nickel (II) ion Br = bromide ion
⇒ NiBr2 = nickel (II) bromide

c. If a polyatomic ion is involved, remember that more than one polyatomic is

shown in parentheses—i.e. DO NOT multiply the charge of the polyatomic
ion with the subscript of the atoms in a polyatomic ion.

CuSO4 ⇒ There is only ONE Cu and ONE SO4, so get the charge
–2
for the Cu based on the SO4. The formula is SO4 , and
–2
there is only ONE SO4 , so Cu’s charge here must be +2 for the
compound to have an overall charge of zero.
⇒ Cu+2 = copper (II) ion SO4 = sulfate ion
–2

then ⇒ CuSO4 = copper (II) sulfate

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Give the name for each compound given its chemical formula:

Formula Individual Ions Name of Compound

+2 – magnesium chloride
MgCl2 Mg Cl

LiOH

ZnCO3

K2S

FePO4

SnO2

CuBr2

Ag3N

Mn(CN)2

AgC2H3O2

WRITING CHEMICAL FORMULAS GIVEN THE COMPOUND NAME

Get the individual ions from the name, then combine them using the
crossover rule:
+2 –
e.g. barium chloride ⇒ barium = Ba chloride = Cl

Ba+2 Cl– ⇒ BaCl2

+3 –2
aluminum sulfate ⇒ aluminum = Al sulfate = SO4

Al+3 SO4–2 ⇒ Al2(SO4)3

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Give the chemical formula for each compound given its name:

Name of Compound individual ions Formula

+ –
lithium cyanide Li CN LiCN

iron (III) sulfate

calcium iodide

tin (IV) dichromate

silver nitrite

copper (II) acetate

zinc carbonate

lead (II) phosphide

potassium sulfite

cobalt (II) nitride

nickel (II) permanganate

NAMING MOLECULAR COMPOUNDS

Indicate number of atoms of each element with Greek prefix before element name:

# of atoms Greek Prefix # of atoms Greek Prefix

1 mono (usually omitted) 6 hexa

2 di 7 hepta

3 tri 8 octa

4 tetra 9 nona

5 penta 10 deca

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 For the first element: Greek prefix + element name
For the second element: Greek prefix + element name stem + “-ide”

Note: Mono is generally omitted, except in common names like

CO = carbon monoxide

P2O5 SF6
diphosphorus pentaoxide sulfur hexafluoride

Name the following molecular compounds:

SO3 = _____________________ SiBr4 = ______________________

XeF6 = ______________________ ClF3 = ______________________

N2O4 = ______________________ Cl2O7= ______________________

PCl5 = ______________________ P4O10 = _____________________

DETERMINING FORMULAS OF MOLECULAR COMPOUNDS

Use Greek prefix(es) to determine number of atoms of each element in formula.

Get elements and number of atoms of each from name:

tetraphosphorus hexasulfide

P4S6

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Give the formulas for each of the following molecular compounds:

nitrogen trichloride dibromine heptaoxide dinitrogen pentasulfide

DETERMINING FORMULAS AND NAMES OF ACIDS FROM IONS

Given an ion,
we can get formula of acid by: adding H atoms equal to negative charge on ion
we can name for acid: depending on suffix of ion name
add # of H's equal
– to negative charge
F = fluoride ion HF (aq) = hydrofluoric acid
add # of H's equal
– to negative charge
NO2 = nitrite ion HNO2 (aq) = nitrous acid
add # of H's equal
–2 to negative charge
SO4 = sulfate ion H2SO4 (aq) = sulfuric acid

Name each of the following ions, and determine the formula and name of the
corresponding acid that forms from the ion.
Name of Ion Formula of Acid Name of Acid

–2
CO3 = __carbonate ion___ ⇒ __ H2CO3__ (aq) = ____ carbonic acid______

–
Cl = _________________ ⇒ ____ ____ (aq) = _______________________

–2
SO3 = _________________ ⇒ _________ (aq) = _______________________

–3
PO4 = _________________ ⇒ _________ (aq) = _______________________

–
NO3 = __________________ ⇒ __________ (aq) = ______________________
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 Name each of the following acids:

HBr (aq)= _________________ H2CrO4 (aq)= ___________________

H2S (aq)= _________________ HC2H3O2 (aq)= _________________

HF (aq)= _________________ H2SO4 (aq)= ___________________

Give the formula for each of the following acids: [Don’t forget to indicate (aq)!]

phosphoric acid = ___________ nitrous acid = ___________

hydroiodic acid = ___________ carbonic acid = ___________

sulfurous acid = ___________ nitric acid = ___________

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:

Name each of the following compounds:

BaCl2 _____________________ NiBr2 ____________________

HNO3(aq)_____________________ SO2 ____________________

AgF _____________________ PbS2 ____________________

CuSO3 _____________________ PF5 ____________________

K2SO4 _____________________ Cr(C2H3O2)3________________

FeP _____________________ Al2(CO3)3 ___________________

NiSO4 _____________________ Zn(OH)2 __________________

KMnO4 _____________________ Sn(CN)2 __________________

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