Nomenclature of Simple Inorganic Compounds

Naming Of Anions

Rule 1:-If the anion contains only one element with a negative charge, then usually the
suffix ide is used.

e.g. F fluoride Cl chloride Br bromide

I iodide O2 oxide S2 sulphide

N3 nitride P3 phosphide As3 arsenide

H hydride Au auride .

Rule 2:-*For an oxyanion (i.e. an ion with a negative charge which contains
oxygen alongwith some other element), suffix ate is used.

e.g. SiO32 silicate CO32 carbonate ZnO22 zincate

* If the nonmetal (other than oxygen) exists in more than one oxidation state,
then ite is attached to the lower one and ate is attached to higher one

e.g. SO42 sulphate, SO32 sulphite

NO3 nitrate, NO2 nitrite

SnO22 stannite, SnO32 stannate

PbO22 plumbite, PbO32 plumbate

* If more than two oxyanions exist, then prefix per should be used for anion
containing nonmetal in oxidation state higher than ate anion and prefix hypo
should be used for anion containing nonmetal in oxidation state lower than ite
anion.

e.g. ClO3 chlorate, ClO4 perchlorate

ClO2 chlorite, ClO hypochlorite

Similarly IO2 is iodite ion, BrO3 is bromate ion .

PO43 phosphate HPO32 phosphite

 H2PO2 hypophosphite

Miscellaneous anions

NH2 amide O22 peroxide

NH2 ionide O2  superoxide

N3 azide O3  ozonide

CrO22 chromate, Cr2O72 dichromate

MnO42 manganate, MnO4 permanganate

[Fe(CN)6]3 ferricyanide, [Fe(CN)6]4 ferrocyanide

CN cyanide, OCN cyanate, SCN thiocyanate

CH3COO acetate, C2O42 oxalate

Rule 3* Often when anion has -2 charge, e.g. CO32-, then another species (e.g.

HCO3) is also possible. Then a prefix bi or hydrogen is attached.

e.g. HCO3 bicarbonate or hydrogen carbonate

HSO4 bisulphate or hydrogen sulphate

HSO3 bisulphite or hydrogen sulphite

HS bisulphide or hydrogen sulphide etc.

* When anion has 3 charge, e.g. PO43, then following possibilities arise

HPO42 monohydrogen phosphate

H2PO4 dihydrogen phosphate

Cations
* Higher oxidation state is denoted by ic while lower one by ous . e.g.

Fe2+ ferrous Fe3+ ferric

Sn2+ stannous Sn4+ stannic

Hg2+ mercurous Hg2+ mercuric

 Otherwise, oxidation state is directly specified.
e.g. AuCl Gold(I) chloride, AuCl3 Gold(III) chloride

Note: It is helpful if usual oxidation states of certain ions in aqueous solution are remembered.
e.g. Mn2+ manganese(II) ions

Cr3+ chromium (III) ions

Ag+ silver (I) ions

Zn2+ zinc (II) ions

* Suffix nium is often used with cations containing non metals.

e.g. NH3 : ammonia, NH4+ : ammonium

N2H4 : hydrazine, N2H5+ : hydrazinium

C6H5NH2 : aniline, C6H5NH23+ : anilinium

C5H5N : pyridine, C5H6N+ : pyridinium

H3O+ : hydronium

NO2+ : nitronium

NO+ : nitrosonium
Assuming the following compounds to exist, give the chemical formulae for
1. Calcium sulphide CaS
2. Potassium chlorite KClO2

3. Magnesium sulphite Mg(SO3)2

4. Chromium sulphate Cr2(SO4)3
5. Ferrous oxalate FeC2O4
6. Sodium acetate CH3COONa
7. Lead chloride PbCl2
8. Cuprous iodide Cu2I2
9. Copper(II) sulphide CuS
10. Barium pemanganate Ba(MnO4)2
11. Radium phosphate Ra3(PO4)2
12. Strontium silicate SrSiO3
13. Cesium ozonide CsO3
14. Sodium amide(sodamide) NaNH2
15. Magnesium nitride Mg3N2
16. Barium peroxide BaO2
17. Mercurous sulphate Hg2SO4
18. Mercuric chloride Hg2Cl2

19. Silver chromate Ag2(CrO4)

20. Calcium phosphide Ca3P2
21. Magnesium bisulphide Mg(HS)2
22. Chromium bisulphate Cr(HSO4)3
23. Potassium hypophosphite KH2PO2
24. Ferric chlorite Fe(ClO2)3
25. Sodium nitrite NaNO2
26. Ammonium phosphite (NH4)2HPO3
27. Rubidium iodate RbIO3
28. Cesium hypoiodite CsIO

29. Strontium fluoride SrF2

30. Silver oxalate Ag2C2O4
31. Radium cyanide Ra(CN)2
32. Potassium ferrocyanide K4Fe(CN)6
33. Strontium manganate SrMnO4
34. Cesium hypophosphite CsH2PO2
35. Berillium chloride BeCl2

36. Ammonium cyanate NH4OCN

37. Silver ferricyanide Ag3[Fe(CN)6]
38. Rubidium superoxide RbO2
39. Lithium hydride LiH
40. Ferric thiocyanate Fe(SCN)3
41. Cuprous sulphide Cu2S
42. Cobalt (III) nitrate Co(NO3)3

Names of the Simple Compounds

1. Na3PO4 Sodium phosphate
2. CuSiO3 Cupric silicate or Copper silicate
3. Ca(HSO4)2 Calcium bisulphate
4. NaIO3 Sodium Iodate
5. Al2(SO3)3 Aluminium sulphite
6. AlN Aluminium nitride
7. Cu(NO3)2 Cupric nitrate
8. AgClO4 Silver perchlorate
9. Fe3(PO4)2 Ferrous phosphate
10. RaCO3 Radium carbonate
11. Fe2S3 Ferric sulphide
12. Zn(NO3)2 Zinc nitrate
13. Li3N Lithium nitride

14. HgCl2 Mercuric chloride

15. CsI Cesium Iodide
16. Sr(NO2)2 Strontium nitrite
17. Hg2Br2 Mercurous bromide

18. NaHS Sodium bisulphide

19. KHCO3 Potassium bicarbonate
20. CaC2O4 Calcium oxalate
21. Pb(ClO4)2 Lead perchlorate
22. Ca(HPO3)2 Calcium phosphite
23. NaH2PO2 Sodium hypophosphite
24. CaCl2 Calcium chloride
25. RbNO3 Rubidium nitrate

26. NaH2PO4 Mono sodium dinitrogen phosphate

27. Na2HPO4 Disodium monohydrogen phosphate
28. SnCl4 Stannic chloride
29. KO2 Potassium superoxide
30. MgO2 Magnesium peroxide
31. Mn2O3 Manganese(III) oxide
32. FeO Ferrous oxide or iron (II) oxide
33. AuCl3 Gold(III) chloride
34. SnS2 Tin(IV) sulphide
35. Mg3As2 Magnesium arsenide
36. Ca3N2 Calcium nitride
37. Ca(N3)2 Calcium azide
38. Cu2[Fe(CN)6] Copper ferrocyanide
39. BaMnO4 Barium manganate
40. Ra(MnO4)2 Radium permanganate
41. RbIO2 Rubidium iodite

42. KO3 Potassium ozonide

43. Al2O3 Aluminium oxide
44. NaAu Sodium auride