Inorganic Compound Naming Conventions

Binary Compounds

Binary Oxygen Compounds (Oxides)

Systematic Nomenclature

• Prefixes (mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-...) + oxide (element symbol).
• e.g., N₂O₅: Dinitrogen pentoxide.

Stock Nomenclature

• Oxide of (element) + (valence of element in Roman numerals).
• e.g., N₂O₅: Nitrogen(V) oxide.

Binary Hydrogen Compounds (Hydrides)

Metal Hydrides (Hydrogen + Metal)

Systematic Nomenclature

• Prefixes (mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-...) + hydride of (metal).
• e.g., CrH₃: Chromium trihydride.

Stock Nomenclature

• Hydride of (metal) + (valence of metal in Roman numerals).
• e.g., CrH₃: Chromium(III) hydride.

Volatile Hydrides (Hydrogen + Semimetal)

Systematic Nomenclature

• Prefixes (mono-, di-, tri-, tetra-...) + hydride of (semimetal).
• e.g., PH₃: Phosphorus trihydride.

Common Names

• Ammonia (NH₃)
• Hydrazine (N₂H₄)
• Phosphine (PH₃)
• Diphosphine (P₂H₄)
• Arsine (AsH₃)
• Diarsine (As₂H₄)
• Stibine (SbH₃)
• Methane (CH₄)
• Silane (SiH₄)
• Disilane (Si₂H₆)
• Borane (BH₃)
• Diborane (B₂H₆)

Hydrogen Halides (Hydrogen + Nonmetal)

Systematic Nomenclature

• (Nonmetal)-ide + of hydrogen.
• e.g., H₂F₂: Hydrogen fluoride.

Aqueous Solution Nomenclature

• Hydro(nonmetal)ic acid.
• e.g., H₂F₂: Hydrofluoric acid.

Other Binary Compounds

Ionic Salts (Metal + Nonmetal)

The more electronegative element is named second.

Systematic Nomenclature

• Prefixes (di-, tri-...) + (nonmetal)-ide + of (metal).
• e.g., CaF₂: Calcium difluoride.

Stock Nomenclature

• (Nonmetal)-ide + of (metal) + (valence of metal in Roman numerals).
• e.g., CaF₂: Calcium(II) fluoride.

Volatile Covalent Compounds (Nonmetal + Nonmetal)

Common nonmetals/semimetals include: F, Cl, Br, I, S, Se, Te, N, P, As, Sb, C, Si, B.

The more electronegative element is named second.

Systematic Nomenclature

• Prefixes (di-, tri-...) + (more electronegative element)-ide + of (less electronegative element).
• e.g., BrF₃: Bromine trifluoride.

Stock Nomenclature

• (More electronegative element)-ide of (less electronegative element) + (valence of less electronegative element in Roman numerals).
• e.g., BrF₃: Bromine(III) fluoride.

Ternary Compounds

Oxoacids

Traditional Nomenclature

• Hypo...ous acid (lowest oxidation state)
• ...ous acid (lower oxidation state)
• ...ic acid (higher oxidation state)
• Per...ic acid (highest oxidation state)

Systematic Nomenclature

• Prefixes (oxo-, dioxo-, trioxo-, tetraoxo-...) + (nonmetal)-ate + (oxidation state in Roman numerals) of hydrogen.
• e.g., HClO₂: Dioxochlorate(III) of hydrogen.

Functional Systematic Nomenclature

• Acid + prefixes (oxo-, dioxo-, trioxo-, tetraoxo-...) + (nonmetal)-ic acid + (oxidation state in Roman numerals).
• e.g., HClO₂: Dioxochloric(III) acid.

Oxoacid Prefixes (Meta-, Ortho-)

• Meta-: Formed by removing one water molecule from the ortho-form.
• Ortho-: The most hydrated form (often implies 3 water molecules for certain elements).

e.g., for Phosphorus (P), Arsenic (As), Antimony (Sb):

• P₂O₃ + H₂O → 2 HPO₂ (Metaphosphorous acid)
• P₂O₃ + 3H₂O → 2 H₃PO₃ (Orthophosphorous acid)
• P₂O₅ + H₂O → 2 HPO₃ (Metaphosphoric acid)
• P₂O₅ + 3H₂O → 2 H₃PO₄ (Orthophosphoric acid)