Naming Molecular Compounds
A. Chemical Name to Chemical Formula
1. First write down the symbol of the non-metal and then the non-metal.
2. Using the table of prefix below, the subscript is the number from the prefix. For no prefix, it is a subscript of "1"
EXAMPLE:Disulfur heptachloride
Step 1 S Cl
Step 2 S2Cl6
MORE EXAMPLES: Carbon disulfide, Decaoxygen pentanitride (answers on practice sheet)
PREFIX TABLE
mono- 1 di- 2 tri- 3 tetra- 4 penta- 5 hexa- 6 hepta- 7 octa- 8 nona-9 deca-10
B. Chemical Formula to Chemical Name
1. Write down the first non- metal name.
2. Add prefix from table (1st letter needs to be capital)End of 1st word.
3. Write down the second non-metal name. Add prefix from the table (no caps in 1st letter). IMPORTANT: If first element has subscript of "1", you Do Not add MONO.
4. Replace ending with "ide"
EXAMPLE: F2O1
Step 1 Difluorine Step 2 monoxygen Step 3 Diflurine monoxide
MORE EXAMPLES: CO N3P8
Practice Sheet
Answer to Note Sheet: Carbon disulfide, C1S2
Decaoxygen pentanitride O10N5 CO- Carbon monoxide N3P8- Trinitrogen octaphosphide
1. Please provide the appropriate chemical name or chemical formula for each of the following questions:
a. Phosphide trichloride P1Cl3
b. C3I7 Tricarbon heptaiodine
c. Tetraoxygen fluoride O4Fl1
d. F2P1 Biflourine phosphate
e. Trihydrogen bromide H3Br1
f.O6Cl4 Hexaoxygen heptachlorine
g. Iodine dinitride I1N2
h. N3P5 Trinitride pentaphospate
i. Carbon tetrachloride C1Cl4
j. N1O2 Nitrogen dioxide