Naming Inorganic Compounds 1.

Metal cations with only one possible charge state: cation name = metal name followed by ion Example: Na+: Sodium ion Mg2+: Magnesium ion Group 1A (+1), 2A (+2); 3A (+3); Al3+ 1B (+1); Ag+; 2B (2+); Zn2+ 2. If more than one charge is possible; two naming styles: a. metal name followed by charge on metal atom, written as a Roman numeral, in parenthesis. Example: Fe2+ iron(II) ion; Fe3+ iron(III) ion b. older method lower charge; latin name followed by ous higher charge; latin name followed by-ic Example: Fe2+ ferrous ion Fe3+ ferric ion 3. Cations formed from nonmetals (polyatomic cations)-names end in- ium ion. Example: H3O+ hydronium ion NH4+ ammonium ion Only known cations 4. Monoatomic (one atom) anions- names formed by replacing the ending of the name of the element with-ide. Example: H- hydride ion, O2- oxide ion Ployatomic anions names ending-ide: e.g., OH- hydroxide ion, CN- cyanide ion. 5. Oxygen containing ployanions (oxyanions) names ending in-ate or-ite. Examples: NO3- nitrate ion, SO42- sulfate ion Same charge but one less O atom-ite: e.g., NO2- nitrite ion, SO32- sulfite ion 6. Naming of ionic compounds Name = cation name followed by anion name Example: CaCl2 calcium chloride; Al(NO3)3 aluminum nitrate 7. Names of acids Acids with anions whose names end in-ide hydro-prefix ending ic acid. e.g., HCl Hydrochloric acid Acids of oxyanions: ate ic and acid e.g., H2SO4 sulfuric acid ite ous and acid e.g., H2SO3 sulfurous acid 8. Naming of binary compounds Prefixes are used to indicate the number of atoms of each element: Example: CO2 carbon dioxide; P2O5 phosphorus pentaoxide. See Table 2.6 on page 62 for meaning of prefixes.