1. How Do I name compounds?

2. First determine whether they are ionic or covalent.
Ionic –Covalent differences
Ionic Covalent
e- transfers e- shares
Metal-non metal non-metals together
High melting point (solid at room temp) Low melting point (solid-liquid or gas at room temp)
No smell smells (sometimes)
Dissolves in water (sometimes) only dissolves in water if polar-covalent
Conducts electricity when dissolved doesn’t conduct electricity

3. Cations and Anions Cations are positive ions (metals)
Anions are negative ions (non metals and most polyatomic ions)

4. Ionic compounds (begins with metal)
What is the cation?
If it is 1A, 2A or 3A, you name it by its name.
Na+ is Sodium
Ca2+ is calcium

5. Ionic compounds continued
Does it have multiple valence charges/oxidation numbers?
If so you need roman numerals to name it and indicate the charge.
Fe3+ is Iron (III)
Mn7+ is Manganese (VII)

6. Anions
Anions can be simple elements, like Cl- which you just put an –ide on the ending
S2- sulfide
O2- oxide
Anions can also be groups of covalently bonded atoms, like sulfate SO42- or hydroxide OH1-

7. Law of Zero Charge
The cation charges must add up to the anion charges, so that there is a zero charge for the compound overall. Na I Ca F Al Cl Rb S Mg O Ga Se

8. What if it has a metal in it but more than one non-metal?
There are multiple groups of covalently bonded atoms called polyatomic ions that carry an overall charge and act just like an ion.

9. Do YOU need to know these? YES

10. Lets Try Some
NaCl
FeCl3
CuSO4
Ba3(PO3)2
NH4NO3

11. Does it start with H? If so it is an acid
Is it H + attached to a simple nonmetal ion?
Then first word hydro-then simple ion then –ic ending, then acid
If Anion is a polyatomic ion, then no hydro-, if ion ends in ate, use –ic, if ends in ite use – ide, then acid

12. HCl, (two elements, so start with hydro, chlorine becomes chlor-ic acid)
HNO3 (polyatomic nitrate becomes nitr-ic. Nitric Acid)
HNO2 ( polyatomic nitrite becomes nitr-ous . Nitrous acid)

13. Covalent naming
If elements in a compound are all non metals, then we name using prefixes.
We use greek prefixes:
1 mono tetra- 7 hepta-
2 di- 5 penta- 8 octa-
3 tri hexa- 9 nona-

14. exceptions
If the first element is single, it does not need a mono- , but any subsequent will.
If you are using oxide, you drop the last letter in multiple syllable prefixes.
Mon-oxide (drop o) tetr-oxide (drop a)