de Castro, Krystel Iris M.

Activity 1: Chemical Nomenclature

10H
August 30, 2016

Objectives:
To identify the rules and patterns in chemical nomenclature
To apply these rules in the exercises
References:
(1) Modern Experiments in General Chemistry I. Quezon City, Philippines: Department
of Chemistry, Ateneo de Manila University; 2016.
Data and Observations:
Part 1: Naming Binary Ionic Compounds Composed of Main Group Elements
To identify the locations of the metals, metalloids, and non-metals in the periodic table
To identify all main group elements
To compose a set of rules that can be used to name binary ionic compounds that fall
under the first classification
To predict the oxidation numbers or charges of the main group ions based on the
positions of their elements in the periodic table
Table 1. Binary ionic compounds composed of main group elements
Formula
Name
Formula
Name
KCl
Potassium chloride
CaS
Calcium sulfide
MgF2
Magnesium fluoride
AlCl3
Aluminum chloride
Na2O
Sodium oxide
Li2Se
Lithium selenide
CaO
Calcium oxide
Sr3P2
Strontium phosphide
Mg3N2
Magnesium nitride
BaI2
Barium iodide
The main group elements have a fixed oxidation number and include:
1A (+) - Li Na K
2A (2+) - Mg Ca Sr Ba
3A (3+) - Al
5A (3-) - N P
6A (2-) - O S Se
7A (-) - F Cl I
Rules:
If the binary ionic compound is a combination of two main group elements,
1) name the metal first
2) replace the ending of the monatomic anion to -ide
Table 2. Skill builder for naming main group binary ionic compounds
Formula
Name
Name
KF
Potassium fluoride
Sodium bromide

Formula
NaBr

Ca2C
Cd3P2
MgH2
CsCl

Calcium carbide
Cadmium phosphide
Magnesium hydride
Cesium chloride

Beryllium chloride
Barium sulfide
Aluminum oxide
Rubidium silicide

BeCl2
BaS
Al2O3
Rb4Si

The main group elements now include:

1A (+) Li Na K Rb Cs
(-) H ???
2A (2+) Be Mg Ca Sr Ba
2B (2+) (Zn) Cd (Hg)
3A (3+) Al
4A (4-) C Si
5A (3-) N P
6A (2-) O S Se
7A (-) F Cl Br I
8A (stable)
Part 2: Binary Ionic Compounds Containing Transition-Metal Cations
The transition-metal cations can take variable oxidation numbers and include:
Rules:
If the binary ionic compound is a combination of two main group elements,
Stock system
1) name the transition metal
2) represent the oxidation number by a Roman numeral enclosed in a
parenthesis
3) replace the ending of the monatomic anion to -ide
Suffix system
1) use the Latin stem of the transition metal and change the ending to
a. -ic for the higher oxidation number
b. -ous for the lower oxidation number
2) replace the ending of the monatomic anion to -ide
Table 3. Comparison of the stock and -ic or -ous suffix system
Table 4. Binary ionic compounds containing transition metal cations

Table 5. Skill builder for naming binary ionic compounds with transition metal cations
Formula
Name
Name
Formula
MnF2
Manganese (II) fluoride
Cobalt (III) chloride
CoCl3
Ni3P2
Nickel (II) phosphide
Platinum (IV) phosphide
Pt3P4
PbS2
Lead (IV) sulfide
Titanium (II) carbide
Ti2C

TiO2
CuCl2
PbO
CrO
CoF2
CuCl
MnN

Titanium (IV) oxide

Copper (II) chloride
Lead (II) oxide
Chromium (II) oxide
Cobalt (II) fluoride
Copper (I) chloride
Manganese (III) nitride

Nickel (II) iodide

Copper (I) sulfide
Manganous sulfide
Cupric nitride
Plumbous oxide
Ferric chloride
Stannic fluoride

NiI2
Cu2S
MnS
Cu3N2
PbO
FeCl3
SnF4

Part 3: Ionic Compounds Containing Polyatomic Ions

Use the suffix -ium for cations formed from nonmetal atoms
Anions
With oxygen - oxyanions
BO33borate ion

CO32carbonate ion

NO3
nitrate ion
PO43phosphate ion
AsO43arsenate ion

SO42sulfate ion
SeO42selenate ion

ClO3
chlorate ion
BrO3
bromate ion
IO3
iodate ion

Patterns For the Base Polyatomic Oxyanions

1.

The four polyatomic-ate ions in the center square (phosphate, arsenate, sulfate, and
selenate) all have 4 oxygen atoms, while the polyatomic -ate ions on the outside all have 3
oxygen atoms.

2.

As you start from right-hand side, the first column of polyatomic -ate ions
(chlorate, bromate, iodate) all have a 1- charge. The second column (sulfate,
selenate) all have a 2- charge, while the third column (phosphate, arsenate) all
have a 3- charge. On the top row, the farthest right polyatomic -ate ion is nitrate
which is 1-, followed by carbonate which is 2-, followed by borate which is 3-.

3.

Within a column, the pattern also repeats (except for N). For example, if you
know that chlorate is ClO3, then you can predict that all of the other oxyanions
made from nonmetals in group 17/VIIA follow the same pattern. Cl combines
with three oxygens and has a 1- charge; Br combines with three oxygens and
has a 1- charge; I combines with three oxygens and has a 1- charge. In group
16/VIA, both S and Se have the same pattern. In group 15/VA, P and As have the
same pattern, but notice N is different, combining with only three oxygens and
having only a 1- charge.
1

Condition

Conseque
nce

# of H atoms, #
added to oxyanions
charge

Prefix

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Conditi
on

Consequen
ce

3
Conditio
n

Consequen
ce

Prefi
x

Prefix

4
Consequen
Condition
ce
# of O
Prefi Suf
atoms
x
x

mono(unnecessar
y)

ditritetrapentahexahepta
octanonadeca-

base +1

+H atom

hydrog
en
(space)
(or biif only
1H
atom)

+1 S
atom
-1 O
atom

per-ate

base
thio-

base -1
-ite

base -2

hypo-

CH3COO- acetate
N3- azide
Exception (these polyatomic anions end in -ide):
CN- cyanide
O2- peroxide
OH- hydroxide
Table 8. Skill builder for naming ionic compounds with polyatomic ions
Formula
Name
Name
Formula
Cu(OH)2
Copper(II) Hydroxide
Iron (II) sulfate
FeSO4
Zn3(PO4)2
Zinc(II) Phosphate
Aluminum hydroxide
Al(OH)3
Sodium Hydrogen
NaHCO3
Strontium phosphate
Sr3(PO4)2
Carbonate
NH4F
Ammonium Fluoride
Ammonium nitride
(NH4)3N
Sn(CH3COO)4
Tin(IV) Acetate
Plumbous sulfate
PbSO4
Pb(NO3)2
Lead(II) Nitrate
Potassium
KMnO4

FeCO3
Na2S2O3
KMnO4

Iron(II) Carbonate
Sodium Thiosulfate
Potassium
Permanganate

permanganate
Calcium oxalate
Platinum (IV) sulfate

CaC2O4
Pt(SO4)2

Copper (III) acetate

Cu(C2H3O2)2

Part 4: Hydrate Compounds

1) Name the ionic compound
2) Append the number of water molecules present for every formula unit of ionic
compound using the table:
Condition

Consequence

# of water molecules for

every formula unit of
ionic compound

Greek Prefix

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

mono- (unnecessary)
ditritetrapentahexahepta
octanonadeca-

hydrat
e

Part 5: Binary Covalent Compounds of Nonmetals

Use common name if applicable.
Greek prefix
More metallic
(except mono-)
element

Greek prefix

Table 11. Skill builder for naming covalent compounds

Formula (given)
Name
Name (given)
NO
Nitrogen monoxide
Boron trifluoride
ClO2
Chlorine dioxide
Dioxygen difluoride
NH3
Ammonia or azane
Diboron hexahydride
P2O5
Phosphorus
Xenon difluoride
pentoxide or
Diphosphorus

Less metallic
element (replace
the ending of the
monatomic to -ide)

Formula
BF3
O2F2
B2H6
XeF2

pentoxide
Part 6: Nomenclature of Acids and Bases
If the anion contained in the acid ends in -ide, add the prefix hydro-, change the -ide
ending to -ic, then follow with the word acid.
If the anion contained in the acid ends in -ate, change the -ate ending to -ic, then follow
with the word acid.
If the anion contained in the acid ends in -ite, change the -ite ending to -ous, then follow
with the word acid.
If the base contains a main group metal, name the metal and follow with the word
hydroxide.
If the base contains a metal variable oxidation numbers,
Stock system
4) name the transition metal
5) represent the oxidation number by a Roman numeral enclosed in a
parenthesis
6) follow with the word hydroxide
Suffix system
3) use the Latin stem of the transition metal and change the ending to
a. -ic for the higher oxidation number
b. -ous for the lower oxidation number
4) follow with the word hydroxide
Part 7: Nomenclature of Simple Hydrocarbons
For alkanes,
Condition
# of carbon atoms

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Consequence
Prefix
Suffix
methethpropbutpent-ane
hexheptoctnondec-