Chemical Names and Formulae SNC1P Mr. M. Couturier.

Chemical Names and Formulae

SNC1PMr. M. Couturier

Chemical Names

IUPAC is the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry which sets the standards of chemistry, which includes naming chemicals.

A few definitions

A binary compound is a compound that contains two different elements.

A polyatomic ion consists of two or more different non-metal atoms, which are joined by covalent bonds.

Metal+Non-Metal Compounds

When naming a compound with a metal and a non-metal, you must: Name the metal first Name the non-metal next but add the

suffix –ide.

Metal+Non-Metal Compounds

Examples: Complete the chemical compound using electron diagrams and then name it.

Na and Cl: K and S: Mg and N: Li and C: Ca and Br: Ba and F:

Metal+Non-Metal Compounds

Examples: Na and Cl: NaCl sodium

chloride K and S: K2S potassium

sulfide Mg and N: Mg3N2 magnesium

nitride Li and C: Li4C lithium

carbide Ca and Br: CaBr2 calcium

bromide Ba and F: BaF2 barium

fluoride

Metal+Non-Metal Compounds

Note that regardless of the number of atoms present, the name of the compound is simply named by the metal and the non-metal (with the –ide suffix). However, this is only true when dealing with metals that are only willing to give a specific number of electrons. For example, calcium always gives 2 electrons. However, this is not always the case with transition metals.

Metal+Non-Metal Compounds

When looking at the periodic table you will note that there is an “ionic charge” listed. For example, Fe can sometimes give 2 electrons (forming the cation Fe2+) and sometimes it gives 3 electrons (forming the cation Fe3+).

Metal+Non-Metal Compounds

Element Cation

Preferred Name

Other Name

Copper Cu+ Copper (I) CuprousCu2+ Copper (II) Cupric

Iron Fe2+ Iron (II) FerrousFe3+ Iron (III) Ferric

Lead Pb2+ Lead (II) PlumbousPb4+ Lead (IV) Plumbic

Mercury Hg+ Mercury (I) Mercurous

Hg2+ Mercury (II) MercuricTin Sn2+ Tin (II) Stannous

Sn4+ Tin (IV) Stannic

Metal+Non-Metal Compounds

Examples: Given the cation, determine the compound formed as well as it name.

Fe2+ and S: Cu2+ and N: Fe2+ and F: Fe3+ and F: Hg+ and Br: Hg2+ and Br:

Metal+Non-Metal Compounds

Examples: Given the cation, determine the compound formed as well as it name.

Fe2+ and S: FeS iron (II) sulfide or ferrous sulfide

Cu2+ and N: Cu3N2 copper (II) nitride or cupric nitride

Fe2+ and F: FeF2 iron (II) fluoride or ferrous fluoride

Fe3+ and F: FeF3 iron (III) fluoride or ferric fluoride

Hg+ and Br: Hg2Br2 mercury (I) bromide or mercurous bromide

Hg2+ and Br: HgBr2 mercury (II) bromide or mercuric bromide

Metal+Non-Metal Compounds

TRICK: The suffix –ous is used for the lower charge whereas the suffix –ic is used for the higher charge.

Metal+Non-Metal Compounds

Element Cation

Preferred Name

Other Name

Copper Cu+ Copper (I) CuprousCu2+ Copper (II) Cupric

Iron Fe2+ Iron (II) FerrousFe3+ Iron (III) Ferric

Lead Pb2+ Lead (II) PlumbousPb4+ Lead (IV) Plumbic

Mercury Hg+ Mercury (I) Mercurous

Hg2+ Mercury (II) MercuricTin Sn2+ Tin (II) Stannous

Sn4+ Tin (IV) Stannic

Non-Metal Compounds

When naming a compound with a non-metals you must: Name the leftmost element first Add the suffix –ide to the next element Add Greek prefixes for the numbers of

atoms (except if the first element only has one)

Greek classNumber Greek

1 mono2 di3 tri4 tetra5 penta6 hexa7 hepta8 octa9 nona10 deca

Non-Metal Compounds

Examples: Given the following non-metals, determine the compound formed as well as it name.

NO N2O NO2

N2O5

N2O3

Non-Metal Compounds

Examples: Given the following non-metals, determine the compound formed as well as it name.

NO nitrogen monoxide N2O dinitrogen monoxide NO2 nitrogen dioxide N2O5 dinitrogen pentoxide N2O3 dinitrogen trioxide

Polyatomic Ions

When naming a compound with one or more polyatomic ions, you must: Name the cation first Name the anion second

Polyatomic IonsName Ion

Ammonium NH4+

Hydronium H3O+

Bicarbonate HCO3-

Cyanide CN-

Hydrogen Sulfate HSO4-

Hydroxide OH-

Nitrate NO3-

Nitrite NO2-

Polyatomic Ions

Examples: Ammonium cyanide: [NH4

+] + [CN-] (NH4)CN Ammonium hydroxide: [NH4

+] + [OH-] (NH4)OH

Polyatomic Ions

Examples: Barium sulfate: [Ba2+] + [SO4

2-] BaSO4

Iron (II) nitrate OR ferrous nitrate [Fe2+] + [NO3

-] Fe(NO3)2

Polyatomic IonsName Ion

Ammonium NH4+

Hydronium H3O+

Bicarbonate HCO3-

Cyanide CN-

Hydrogen Sulfate HSO4-

Hydroxide OH-

Nitrate NO3-

Nitrite NO2-