Chemistry: Atoms First

Naming Ionic and

Covalent Compounds
 Compounds

A compound is a substance composed of two or more elements

combined in a specific ratio and held together by chemical bonds.

Familiar examples of compounds are water and salt (sodium

chloride).
Ionic Compounds and Bonding

The resulting electrically neutral compound, sodium chloride, is

represented with the chemical formula NaCl.

The chemical formula, or simply formula, of an ionic compound

denotes the constituent elements and the ratio in which they
combine.
 Naming Ions and Ionic Compounds

A monatomic ion is named by changing the ending of the

element’s name to –ide.

Cl– is chloride O2– is oxide

Some metals can form cations of more than one possible charge.

Fe2+ : ferrous ion [Fe(II)]

Fe3+ : ferric ion [Fe(III)]

Mn2+ : manganese(II) ion

Mn3+ : manganese(III) ion
Mn4+ : manganese(IV) ion
Naming Ions and Ionic Compounds
Naming Ions and Ionic Compounds

Formulas for ionic compounds are generally empirical formulas.

Ionic compounds are electronically neutral.

Formulas of Ionic Compounds

In order for ionic compounds to be electronically neutral, the sum

of the charges on the cation and anion in each formula must be
zero.

Aluminum oxide: Al3+ O2–

Al2O3

Sum of charges: 2(+3) + 3(–2) = 0

Formulas of Ionic Compounds
Naming Ions and Ionic Compounds

To name ionic compounds:

1) Name the cation

omit the word ion
use a Roman numeral if the cation can have more than one
charge

2) Name the anion

omit the word ion

Examples:
NaCN sodium cyanide
FeCl2 iron(II) chloride
FeCl3 iron(III) chloride
 5.7 Covalent Bonding in Ionic Species

Polyatomic ions consist of a combination of two or more atoms.

Formulas are determined following the same rule as for ionic

compounds containing only monatomic ions: ions must combine in
a ratio that give a neutral formula overall.

Calcium phosphate:
Ca2+ PO43–

Ca3(PO4)2

Sum of charges: 3(+2) + 2(–3) = 0

Covalent Bonding in Ionic Species
Covalent Bonding in Ionic Species
Example
Name the following ionic compounds: (a) Fe2(SO4)3, (b) Al(OH)3, and (c) Hg2O.

Strategy Begin by identifying the cation and anion in each compound, and then
combine the names for each, eliminating the word ion.

Solution (a) Fe2(SO4)3 is iron(III) sulfate.

(b) Al(OH)3 is aluminum hydroxide.

(c) Hg2O is mercury(I) oxide.

Think About It Be careful not to confuse the subscript in the formula with the
charge in the metal ion. In part (a), for example, the subscript on Fe is 2, but this
is an iron(III) compound.
Covalent Bonding in Ionic Species

Oxoanions are polyatomic anions that contain one or more oxygen

atoms and one atom (the “central atom”) of another element.

Starting with the oxoanions that end in –ate, we can name these
ions as follows:
1)The ion with one more O atom than the –ate ion is called the
per…ate ion. Thus, ClO3- is the chlorate ion, so ClO4- is the
perchlorate ion.
2)The ion with one less O atom than the –ate ion is called the –ite
ion. Thus, ClO2- is the chlorite ion.
3)The ion with two fewer O atom than the –ate ion is called the
hypo…ite ion. Thus, ClO- is the hypochlorite ion.

At minimum, memorize the oxoanions that end in –ate so you can

apply these guidelines when necessary.
Covalent Bonding in Ionic Species

perchlorate ClO4-
chlorate ClO3-
chlorite ClO2-
hypochlorite ClO-

nitrate NO3-
nitrite NO2-
phosphate PO43-
phosphite PO33-
sulfate SO42-
sulfite SO32-
Example
Name the following species: (a) BrO4-, (b) HCO3-, and (c) H2CO3.
Strategy Each species is either an oxoanion or an oxoacid. Identify the
“reference oxidation” (the one with the –ate ending) for each, and apply the rules
to determine appropriate names.

SolutionThink (a)About It Remembering

BrO4- has one more O atom all these
than thenames and formulas
bromate ion (BrOis
3 ), so BrO4
- -

greatly facilitated
is the perbromate ion. by memorizing the common ions that end in –ate.
chlorate ClO3- nitrate
(b) CO32- is the carbonateNO ion.
3 Because HCO 3 has one ionizable hydrogen atom,
- -

iodate carbonate
it is called the hydrogen IOion.
3
-

carbonate CO32-
(c) With two ionizable
bromatehydrogen atoms
BrO3- and no charge on theoxalate compound, H 2CO3
is carbonic acid. C2O42-
Think About It Make sure that SO
sulfate the charges
2- sum to zero in chromate
each compound
4
formula. In part (a), for example,
CrO4 2- Hg 2+
+ 2Cl -
= (+2) + 2(-1) = 0; in part (b),
(+2) + 2(-1) = 0; and in part (c), 3(+1)3- + (-3) = 0.
phosphate PO4 permanganate
MnO4-
Example
Determine the formula of sulfurous acid.

Strategy The –ous ending in the name of an acid indicates that the acid is
derived from an oxoanion ending in –ite. The oxoanion must be sulfite, SO32-, so
add enough hydrogen ions to make a neutral formula.

Solution The formula of sulfurous acid is H2SO3.

Think About It Remembering all these names and formulas is greatly

facilitated by memorizing the common ions that end in -ate.
Hydrates

A hydrate is a compound that has a specific number of water

molecules within its solid structure.

For example, in its normal state, copper(II) sulfate has five water
molecules associated with it.

Systematic name: copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate

Formula: Cu(SO)4 ∙ 5H2O

Some other hydrates are

BaCl2 ∙ 2H2O
LiCl ∙ H2O
MgSO4 ∙ 7H2O
Sr(NO3)2 ∙ 4H2O
Hydrates

When the water molecules are driven off by heating, the resulting
compound, Cu(SO)4, is sometimes called anhydrous copper(II)
sulfate.

Anhydrous means the compound no longer has water molecules

associated with it.
Familiar Inorganic Compounds
Covalent Bonding and Molecules
Covalent Bonding and Molecules

A chemical formula denotes the

composition of the substance.

A molecular formula shows the exact

number of atoms of each element in a
molecule.

Some elements have two or more distinct

forms known as allotropes.
For example, oxygen (O2) and ozone
(O3) are allotropes of oxygen.

A structural formula shows not only the

elemental composition, but also the
general arrangements.
Covalent Bonding and Molecules

Molecular substances can also be represented using empirical

formulas, the whole-number ratio of elements.

While, the molecular formulas tell us the actual number of atoms (the
true formula), the empirical formula gives the simplest formula.

Molecular formula: N2H4

Empirical formula: NH2

The molecular and empirical formulas are often the same.

Covalent Bonding and Molecules
 5.6 Naming Molecular Compounds

Remember that binary molecular compounds are substances that

consist of just two different elements.

Nomenclature:
1) Name the first element that appears in the formula.

2) Name the second element that appears in the formula,

changing its ending to –ide.

Examples:
HCl hydrogen chloride

HI hydrogen iodide
Naming Molecular Compounds

Greek prefixes are used to denote the number of atoms of each

element present.
Naming Molecular Compounds

The prefix mono- is generally omitted for the first element.

For ease of pronunciation, we usually eliminate the last letter of a

prefix that ends in “o” or “a” when naming an oxide.

Example: N2O5 is dinitrogen pentoxide not dinitrogen

pentaoxide
Worked Example 5.7
Name the following binary molecular compounds: (a) NF3 and (b) N2O4.

Strategy Each compound will be named using the systematic nomenclature

including, where necessary, appropriate Greek prefixes.

Solution (a) nitrogen trifluoride

(b) dinitrogen tetroxide

Think About It Make sure that the prefixes match the subscripts in the
molecular formulas and that the word oxide is not preceded immediately by an
“a” or an “o”.
Worked Example 5.8
Write the chemical formulas for the following binary molecular compounds:
(a) sulfur tetrafluoride and (b) tetraphosphorus decasulfide.

Strategy The formula for each compound will be deduced using the systematic
nomenclature guidelines.

Solution (a) SF4

(b) P4S10

Think About It Double-check that the subscripts in the formulas match the
prefixes in the compound names: (a) 4 = tetra and (b) 4 = tetra and 10 = deca.
Compounds Containing Hydrogen

The names of molecular compounds containing hydrogen do not

usually conform to the systematic nomenclature guidelines.

Many are called by the common, nonsystematic names or by names

that do not indicate explicitly the number of H atoms present.

Examples:
B2H6 Diborane
SiH4 Silane
NH3 Ammonia
PH3 Phosphine
H2O Water
H2S Hydrogen sulfide
Compounds Containing Hydrogen

One definition of an acid is a substance that produces hydrogen

ions (H+) when dissolved in water.

HCl is an example of a binary compound that is an acid when

dissolved in water.

To name these types of acids:

1) remove the –gen ending from hydrogen

2) change the –ide ending on the second element to –ic.

hydrogen chloride → hydrochloric acid

Compounds Containing Hydrogen

A compound must contain at least one ionizable hydrogen atom to

be an acid upon dissolving.
Organic Compounds

Our nomenclature discussion so far has focused on inorganic

compounds, generally defined as those without carbon.

Organic compounds contain carbon and hydrogen, sometimes in

combination with other atoms.

Hydrocarbons contain only carbon and hydrogen.

The simplest hydrocarbons are called alkanes.

Organic Compounds
Organic Compounds
Organic Compounds

Many organic compounds contain groups of atoms known as

functional groups, which often determine a molecule’s reactivity.
A molecule is an aggregate of two or more atoms in a
definite arrangement held together by chemical bonds

H2 H2O NH3 CH4

A diatomic molecule contains only two atoms

H2, N2, O2, Br2, HCl, CO

A polyatomic molecule contains more than two atoms

O3, H2O, NH3, CH4
 Writing Chemical Formals
There are 7 elements that occur in nature as a diatomic molecule

One way to remember these

elements is:

Mr. BrINClHOF
A monatomic ion contains only one atom
Na+, Cl-, Ca2+, O2-, Al3+, N3-

A polyatomic ion contains more than one atom

OH-, CN-, NH4+, NO3-
2.5
 Guidelines for Writing Chemical Formulas
for Binary Compounds

1. Except for Hydrogen, the element farther to the left in the

periodic table appears first. Ie: KCl, PCl3, Al2S3, and Fe3O4

2. If hydrogen is present, it appears last except when the other

element is from group 16 or 17. Ie: LiH, NH3, B2H6, CH4
H2O, HCl and HI

3. If both elements are from the same group, the lower one
appears first. Ie: SiC and BrF3
A molecular formula shows the exact number of
atoms of each element in the smallest unit of a
substance

An empirical formula shows the simplest

whole-number ratio of the atoms in a substance

molecular empirical
H2O H2O
C6H12O6 CH2O

O3 O
N2H4 NH2
ionic compounds consist of a combination of cations
and an anions
• the formula is always the same as the empirical formula
• the sum of the charges on the cation(s) and anion(s) in each
formula unit must equal zero
The ionic compound NaCl
Formula of Ionic Compounds
2 x +3 = +6 3 x -2 = -6

Al2O3
Al3+ O2-

1 x +2 = +2 2 x -1 = -2

CaBr2
Ca2+ Br-

1 x +2 = +2 1 x -2 = -2

Na2CO3
Na+ CO32-
 M
Ion Name (common name) Ion Name (Common name)
NH4+ Ammonium CO32- Carbonate
H3O+ Hydronium HCO3- Hydrogen carbonate (bicarbonate)
U
OH- Hydroxide SO32- Sulfite
CN- Cyanide HSO3- Hydrogen sulfite S
NO2- Nitrite SO42- Sulfate
NO3- Nitrate
Hypochlorite (often written
HSO4- Hydrogen sulfate
T
ClO -
SCN -
Thiocyanate
OCl-)
ClO2- Chlorite S2O32- Thiosulfate
ClO3- Chlorate CrO42- Chromate
K
ClO4- Perchlorate Cr2O72- Dichromate
MnO4- Permanganate PO43- Phosphate N
CH3CO2- Acetate (can be written HPO42- Hydrogen phosphate
C2H3O2-)

C2O42- Oxalate H2PO4- Dihydrogen phospate

O

W
 Recognizing Ionic Compounds

A compound is ionic if it contains a metal from group 1

Or group 2 or one of the polyatomic ions. Binary metal
Oxides and sulfides also have ionic character
Fig 2-23
Pg 59
Pure water(left)
and a solution
of sugar(right)
do not conduct
electricity
because they
contain virtually
no ions. A
solution of salt
(center)
conducts
electricity well
because it
contain mobile
cations and
Courtesy Ken Karp anions.
 Chemical Nomenclature
• Ionic Compounds
– often a metal + nonmetal
– anion (nonmetal), add “ide” to element name

BaCl2 barium chloride

K2O potassium oxide
Mg(OH)2 magnesium hydroxide

KNO3 potassium nitrate