Naming Binary Covalent Compounds
Jan 06, 2016
Naming Binary Covalent
Compounds
Covalent Compounds
Formed between two non-metals
Valence electrons are shared between atoms
Binary Covalent Compounds
Contain just two different types of non-metal elements
Some Different Rules
Covalent compound have a few rules to naming to those of ionic compound
When non-metals combine they can form several different covalent compounds
Example: Carbon and oxygen combine to form two common covalent compounds CO2 and CO
Each of these compounds have their own names
Rules for Naming Covalent Compounds
1. Always write/name the element with more metallic character first. Metallic character increases going from right to left, and top to bottom on the Periodic Table.
Rules for Naming Covalent Compounds
2. Then write/name the second (less metallic) element, changing the ending of its name to –”ide”
Rules for Naming Covalent Compounds
3. Since nonmetals often combine in different proportions to form a number of different compounds, prefixes must be included in the names to indicate the numbers of each kind of atom present.
Prefixes
Number Prefix Number Prefix
1 mono- 6 hexa-
2 di- 7 hepta-
3 tri- 8 octa-
4 tetra- 9 nona-
5 penta- 10 deca-
Example
P4S3
Tetraphosphorus trisulfide
Prefix Exception
The mono- prefix is usually not used for the first element in the formula.
Example:
BCl3 boron trichloride
Prefix Exception
Never use any prefixes at all for simple covalent compounds containing Hydrogen
Example:
HF hydrogen fluoride
Prefix Exception
The "o" and "a" endings of these prefixes are dropped when they are attached to "oxide."
Example:
N2O5 dinitrogen pentoxide
Order Exceptions
Generally, they are in the same left-to-right order that they have on the periodic table, except that you would have to squeeze hydrogen in between nitrogen and oxygen.
Examples:
NH3 ammonia CH4 methane H2O water
Diatomic Molecules
Element that consists of two atoms combined
Examples:
F2 fluorine
N2 nitrogen
Practice Naming Covalent Compounds
SiF4
silicon tetrafluoride
Practice Naming Covalent Compounds
N2S3
dinitrogen trisulfide
Practice Naming Covalent Compounds
HBr
hydrogen bromide
Practice Naming Covalent Compounds
Br2
bromine
Practice Naming Covalent Compounds
N10O4
decanitrogen tetroxide
Practice Writing Formulas of Covalent Compounds
B2H6
diboron hexahydride
Practice Writing Formulas of Covalent Compounds
NBr3
nitrogen tribromide
Practice Writing Formulas of Covalent Compounds
SCl6
Sulfur hexachloride
Practice Writing Formulas of Covalent Compounds
P2O5
diphosphorus pentoxide
Practice Writing Formulas of Covalent Compounds
N3S
trinitrogen monosulfide
Practice Writing Formulas of Covalent Compounds
P8O7
octaphosphorus heptoxide
Review Worksheet
Naming Covalent Compounds
Write the Chemical Formula for the following Covalent Compound
SbBr3
Antimony tribromide
Write the Chemical Formula for the following Covalent Compound
B6Si
Hexaboron silicide
Write the Chemical Formula for the following Covalent Compound
ClO2
Chlorine dioxide
Write the Chemical Formula for the following Covalent Compound
HI
Hydrogen iodide
Write the Chemical Formula for the following Covalent Compound
IF5
Iodine pentafluoride
Write the Chemical Formula for the following Covalent Compound
N2O3
Dinitrogen trioxide
Write the Chemical Formula for the following Covalent Compound
NH3
ammonia
Write the Chemical Formula for the following Covalent Compound
PI3
Phosphorus triiodide
Write the Names for the following Covalent Compound
P4S5
Tetraphosphorus pentasulfide
Write the Names for the following Covalent Compound
O2
oxygen
Write the Names for the following Covalent Compound
SeF6
Selenium hexafluoride
Write the Names for the following Covalent Compound
Si2Br6
Disilicon hexabromide
Write the Names for the following Covalent Compound
SCl4
Sulfur tetrachloride
Write the Names for the following Covalent Compound
CH4
methane
Write the Names for the following Covalent Compound
B2Si
Diboron silicide
Write the Names for the following Covalent Compound
NF3
Nitrogen trifluoride