Chemistry 100 Clark College

Inorganic Nomenclature

In order to efficiently be able to discuss chemicals and reactions, we need to understand a common
system of chemical nomenclature. Nomenclature is crucial as you further your studies in chemistry –
understanding and utilizing proper terminology will help you in the lecture setting, and more
importantly, in the lab. The IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemists) system of
nomenclature provides a set of rules for the naming compounds and writing formula. We are going to
learn this system for inorganic compounds.
Note: As we work through nomenclature, it is important that you know the names of elements and ions!
Identifying the Type of Compound
Before naming the compound, we must first classify the compound as an ionic compound or a molecular
compound.
Ionic compounds: Contains one or more metal ions. Exceptions: A molecule is also ionic if it contains
hydrogen ions (H+) or ammonium ions (NH4+).
Molecular compounds: Contains nonmetals only.
Once we have identified the type of compound, we can apply the appropriate rules of writing formula
and naming compounds. We’ll start with ionic compounds.
Ionic Compounds: Writing formulas
For all ionic compounds, the cation is listed before the anion.
Step 1: Determine the charges for each ion.
Step 2: Determine the how many of each ion is needed for charge neutrality.
Check: Is the sum of the positive charges = the sum of negative charges?
Step 3: Reduce the subscripts to give the smallest ratio of whole numbers.
Examples: NaF, MgI2, K2S, HCl,
What about polyatomic ions? Consider polyatomic ions as a package deal. The package must remain
intact, and the charge applies to the entire package. When you need multiple polyatomic ions to
equalize charge, put the entire package in parentheses, and then indicate the number of ions needed
outside the parentheses.
Examples: Ca(NO3)2, Li2SO4, (NH4)2O, Mg3(PO4)2
Ionic Compounds: Naming compounds
For all ionic compounds, the name consists of the cation name followed by the anion name.
Type I Ionic Compounds
These compounds are formed from cations that form only one ion, such as group I, II, and II metal ions.
Some additions to this group are compounds that contain hydrogen ions, ammonium ions, and the
transition metal ions silver (Ag+), and zinc (Zn+2).
Cation: takes the name of the element.
Anion: the name of the polyatomic ion, or
take the “base” name of the nonmetal, add -ide
Example: nitrogen → nitride chlorine → chloride oxygen → oxide

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Chemistry 100 Clark College
Type II Ionic Compounds
These compounds are formed from cations that form multiple ions. These cations are typically formed
from transition metals and p-block metals. The naming method is similar, with the addition of the
charge of the cation listed after the element name, in parentheses and in roman numerals.

Examples:
Ion IUPAC Name
Cu+1 Copper (I)
Cu+2 Copper (II)
Hg2+2 Mercury (I) This is polyatomic!
Hg+2 Mercury (II)
Sn+2 Tin (II)
Sn+4 Tin (IV)
Cr+3 Chromium (III)

Some examples of Type I and Type II compounds:

Ammonium sulfide (NH4)2S
Ca(NO3)2 Calcium nitrate Lead (II) chloride PbCl2
BaCl2 Barium chloride Rubidium perchlorate Rb(ClO4)2
Sn(CO3)2 Tin (IV) carbonate Iron (III) oxide Fe2O3
FePO4 Iron (III) phosphate

Molecular Compounds: Naming Binary Compounds

In this course, we will only name binary compounds, or compounds that have two, and only two, types
of nonmetal atoms combined together. Recall that these do not include hydrogen-containing
compounds. Similar to the ionic compounds, the first element retains the name of the element, whereas
the second takes the base and adds –ide. For these compounds, the number of atoms of each element
present is indicated using a greek prefix before the element name (or base), as shown below. The
exception is that the prefix ‘mono’ is not used for the first element.
Greek prefix: mono- di- tri- tetra- penta- hexa- hepta- octa- nona- deca-
Number: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 10

Examples:
Diphosphorus pentoxide P2O5 Sulfur trichloride SCl3

Carbon monoxide CO Arsenic pentafluoride AsF5

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Chemistry 100 Clark College
Naming Acids – some special rules
Acids are compounds that form when hydrogen-ion compounds are dissolved in water (signified by an
(aq) following the formula). They fall into two categories for naming: binary acids that contain H+ and
only one other element, and oxo acids that contain H+ and a polyatomic anion that contains oxygen.
Binary Acids
To name a binary acid, replace the –ide ending for the anion and replace it with –ic, and add the prefix
hydro-; “acid” is added as a separate word at the end.

HBr Hydrogen bromide HBr (aq) hydrobromic acid

H2S Hydrogen sulfide H2S (aq) hydrosulfuric acid (this is a deviation)

If the compound is binary (hydrogen and a non-metal), the ide portion from the anion name
changes to ic and a hydro precedes the root name for that non-metal element. In all acids, the
word acid is part of the name – notice the aq after the formula.

Examples formula name

Hydrogen rootide (named
HX (g)
like covalent compound)
HX (aq) Hydrorootic acid
hydrogen bromide
HBr (g)
(named like covalent cmpd)
HBr (aq) hydrobromic acid
hydrogen sulfide (named
H2S (g)
like covalent cmpd)
H2S (aq) hydrosulfuric acid

Oxo acids
To name an oxo acid, drop the ‘hydrogen’ from the compound name, change the –ate anion ending to
–ic, and add “acid” as a separate work at the end.
HClO4 Hydrogen perchlorate HClO4 (aq) perchloric acid

HNO3 Hydrogen nitrate HNO3 (aq) nitric acid

If the compound is ternary (hydrogen and a polyatomic ion): and the name ends in ate for the
anion: if the species is a gas, it is named hydrogen polyatomic ion. If the species is aqueous, the
ate from the polyatomic ion changes to ic, the hydro is dropped from the name and the word
acid is added as a suffix.

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Chemistry 100 Clark College
Examples formula name
H2SO4 (g) hydrogen sulfate
H2SO4 (aq) sulfuric acid

More examples:
HClO4 (aq) anion is perchlorate perchloric acid
HClO3 (aq) anion is chlorate chloric acid

HClO2 (aq) anion is chlorite chlorous acid

HClO (aq) anion is hypochlorite hypochlorous acid
HCl (aq) anion is chloride hydrochloric acid

Some polyatomic ions that we will learn throughout the term!

Formula Name Formula Name
NO3- nitrate ClO4- perchlorate
NO2- nitrite ClO3- chlorate
CrO42- chromate ClO2- chlorite
Cr2O72- dichromate ClO- hypochlorite
CN- cyanide IO4- periodate
SCN- thiocyanate IO3- iodate
MnO4- permanganate IO2- iodite
OH- hydroxide IO- hypoiodite
O22- peroxide BrO4- perbromate
NH2- amide BrO3- bromate
SO42- sulfate BrO2- bromite
SO32- sulfite BrO- hypobromite
PO33- phosphite CO32- carbonate
PO43- phosphate HCO3- hydrogen carbonate
HPO42- hydrogen phosphate HSO4- hydrogen sulfate
H2PO4- dihydrogen phosphate HSO3- hydrogen sulfite
C2H3O2- acetate HS- hydrogen sulfide
CH3COO- acetate NH4+ ammonium

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Chemistry 100 Clark College

TABLE 1
COMMON CATIONS AND THEIR OXIDATION NUMBERS

1+ 2+ 3+
4+
Group IA (1A) Group IIA (2A) Group IIIA (3A)

NH4+ ammonium Cd2+ cadmium

Cu+ copper (I) Cu2+ copper (II)

Cr3+ chromium (III)

Co2+ cobalt (II) Co3+ cobalt (III)

Fe2+ iron (II) Fe3+ iron (III)

Ni2+ nickel (II) Ni3+ nickel (III)

Pb2+ lead (II) Pb4+ lead (IV)

Pd2+ palladium (II) Pd4+ palladium (IV)

Ag+ silver

Pt2+ platinum (II) Pt4+ platinum (IV)

Sn2+ tin (II) Sn4+ tin (IV)

Zn2+ zinc

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