Chapter 4-Inorganic Nomenclature

By: Brendan Timm

Jesse Durrant

Braedan Fitzpatrick

and Austin Penrose

Monovalent CompoundsCompound name to compound formula

Identify the two elements in the compound and the charges. (e.g. Lithium Oxide = Li+ O2-)

Criss cross your charges

Put the two symbols together and then remove charges.

Answer: Li2O

Li+ O2-

Monovalent Compounds Compound formula to compound name

Name the metal in the compound Then name the non-metal in the

compound and change the ending to “ide”

e.g NaCl• Sodium• Chlorine to Chloride • Sodium Chloride

Multivalent CompoundsCompound Name to Compound Formula

Identify element symbols and their ion charge

E.g. Chromium (iii) Oxide Criss cross charges Combine the two symbols and get

rid of their charges Then make into smallest possible

ratio• E.g. Cr3N3 = CrN

Cr3+ O2-

Multivalent Compounds Compound formula to compound name

Multivalent element: element that can form more than one stable ion

Name the metal ion, see if it has more than one charge

Un criss cross the combining capacitye.g. (Cr2O3, O2- and Cr 3+)

Chromium (III) Chromium (III) Oxide

Binary Molecular CompoundsCompound Name to Compound Formula

Memorize to prefix system for subscript values of elements (mono, di, tri, tetra, penta, hexa, hepta, octa, nona, deca).

Identify the prefix for both elements and their corresponding subscript. (e.g. dinitrogen tetraoxide=2, 4)

Use the corresponding subscripts of the prefixes after their symbols. (e.g. N2O4)

Don’t reduce the subscripts.

Binary Molecular CompoundsCompound Formula to Compound Name

Identify the subscript values of the elements and their corresponding prefixes. (e.g. H2O, 2=di and 1=mono)

Write down the two elements with their prefixes before their name.

Change the ending of the second element to “ide”. (dihydrogen monoxide)

Don’t add the prefix mono if the first element has a subscript of one. (e.g. CO2=carbon monoxide)

Don’t reduce prefixes

Polyatomic IonsFrom formula to name

Write the positive ions name, will be either metal or ammonium (NH4

+) Determine if metal is multivalent, if it

is, indicate ion charge in roman numerals

Identify the negative ion and name itCr3(PO4)2 1. Chromate (II) 2. Chromate (II) Phosphate

Polyatomic IonsFrom name to formula

Identify each ion and its charge E.g. Chromium (III) sulphate = Cr3+

SO4-2

Criss cross charges Cr3+ SO4-2

Put the symbols together and get rid of charge values.

For Polyatomic ions, use brackets around the whole ion. The whole ion has the subscript value. E.g. Cr2(SO4)3

Hydrates A hydrate is a solid compound that is

surrounded by water molecules 

Prefixes are also associated with hydrates - prefixes are words that represent how much of something there is 

Hydrates cont.Naming Hydrates:

1. Name the compound as you would regularly name it2. After writing the compound name, add the correct prefix in front of the word hydrate Ex. Al2O3 3H2O - aluminum oxide trihydrate 

Writing Chemical Formulas for Hydrates: 1. Write the Elements symbol and use criss cross rule for first half of hydrate2. Then write the prefix number in front of H20 Ex. iron (II) sulphate pentahydrate - FeSO4 5H2O

Bibliography http://stpatschem11.files.wordpress.c

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