Compound Formation, Formulas

and Naming Formulas

Chemical Bonds
Chemical Bonds

• Forces of attraction that hold together atoms or ions when

they combine to form molecules or ion pairs in a given
compound
• The valence electrons are numbered in the formation of
bonds
• Follow the octet rule
Ionic bond

• Formed by actual electron transfer where one of the

reacting atoms lose one or more electrons and the other
atom gains those electrons
• Common to compounds formed by a metal with a low
ionization energy and a nonmetal with high ionization
energy and a strong tendency to attract electrons
• Metal atom = lose e- = (+) ion
• Non-metal atom = gain e- = (-) ion

• The number of e- lost or gained per atom determines the

valence or oxidation # of the ion

Metal Non-metal E-dot formula of Chemical

combining Formula
atoms
Na+ Cl-
Ca+2 Cl-
Covalent Bond

• Formed by electron sharing between atoms of non-

metals
• Electronegativity
• Relative abilities of the atoms to attract electrons which
determine whether or not the electrons are shared equally
Non-polar Covalent Bond
• 2 identical atoms combine and the shared electrons are
equally attached to both nuclei making the electron density
balanced

Non-metal E-dot formula of Chemical formula

combining atoms
Cl-
Polar Covalent Bond
• Combination of different kinds of atoms
• The shared e- are pulled towards the more electronegative side
• Unbalanced e- density results to a polar bond, the end with the
greater e- density being partially negative and the other end being
partially positive

Non-metal E-dot formula of Chemical formula

combining atoms
H+ & Cl-
• Double Bond
• More than 1 e- is shared by 2 atoms forming multiple bonds
• Each of the atoms share 2 pairs of e-
• Triple Bond
• Each of the 2 atoms share 3 pairs of e-
• Ability to form double or triple bonds is limited almost
exclusively to bonds between C, N, O
• P, S, Se form double bonds with C, N, O

• Lone Pair
• Unshared pair
• Pairs of e- that are not used in bonding
 Difference in Type of bond
electronegativity

∆EN ≤ 0.4 Non-polar Covalent

0.4 < ∆EN <1.7 Polar Covalent
∆EN ≥ 1.7 Ionic
Formula Writing
 Chemical Formula

• Represents the composition of a compound

• Compound is electrically neutral

Total (+) charge + Total (-) charge = 0

Total charge = (valence) x (subscript)

Formation of Compounds
1.Symbol of the (+) ion/radical is written first, followed by the (-)
ion/radical
• Radical = polyatomic ion; group of atoms which acts as a single unit
• PO4, CO2, NO3
2.Criss-Cross Method
• The valence of the (+) ion/radical becomes the subscript of the (-)
ion/radical, while the valence of the (-) ion/radical becomes the
subscript of the (+) ion/radical
Al+3 and O-2 = Al2O3
3. If the valences are equal, there is no need to criss-cross since
the sum of the valences is zero.
Mg+2 and O-2 = MgO
4. There is no need to write the subscript if it is equal to 1.
5. If the subscript of the radical is greater than 1, the radical
must be enclosed in a parenthesis.
Ba+2 and PO4-3 = Ba3(PO4)2
6. Subscript should be reduced to lowest terms or ratio.
Sn+4 and O-2 = Sn2O4 → SnO2
Naming of Compounds
Ionic Compounds
1. Binary compounds containing a metal and a non-metal
Metal then stem name of Non-metal ending in -ide

Na2S = sodium sulfide

Al2O3 = aluminum oxide
NaCl = sodium chloride
CaBr2 = calcium bromide
2.Binary compounds containing a metallic ion of variable
oxidation number
A. Classical Method
• Name of Metallic ion ending in –ous (lower oxidation #)
• Name of Metallic ion ending in –ic (higher oxidation #)
B. Stock Method
• Oxidation # of metallic ion is represented by a roman numeral
enclosed in a parentheses and the English name of the
metallic ion is used
 Compound Classical Method Stock Method
FeCl3 ferric chloride iron(III) chloride
SnO2 stannic oxide tin(IV) oxide
As2S3 arsenous sulfide arsenic(III) sulfide
Au2(SO4)3 auric sulfate gold(III) sulfate
PbBr2 plumbous bromide lead(II) bromide
SnS2 stannic sulfide tin(IV) sulfide
CuCO3 cupric carbonate copper(II) carbonate
 To get the valence of the metallic (+) ion:
Total (+) charge + Total (-) charge = 0
FeCl3 Fe(1) + (-1)(3) = 0 Fe = +3 ferric / iron (III)
SnO2 Sn(1) + (-2)(2) = 0 Sn = +4 stannic / tin (IV)
As2S3 As(2) + (-2)(3) = 0 As = +3 arsenous / arsenic (III)
3. Ternary Compounds
• Name of the (+) ion is given first followed by the name of the (-) ion
ending in –ate or –ite
• -ite = middle ion uses its lower oxidation #
• -ate = middle ion uses its higher oxidation #

Na3PO4 sodium phosphate P uses +5

Na3PO3 sodium phosphite P uses +3

PO4-3 PO3-3 NO3-

P(1) +(-2)(4) = -3 P(1) +(-2)(3) = -3 N(1) +(-2)(3) = -1
P – 8 = -3 P – 6 = -3 P – 6 = -1
P = -3 + 8 P = -3 + 6 P = -1 + 6
P = +5 P = +3 P = +5
 SO5-2 CO4-2 NO4- PO5-3 =
= persulfate = percarbonate = pernitrate perphosphate
+1 Oxygen +1 Oxygen +1 Oxygen +1 Oxygen
Root SO4-2 CO3-2 NO3- PO4-3
= sulfate = carbonate = nitrate = phosphate
-1 Oxygen -1 Oxygen -1 Oxygen -1 Oxygen
SO3-2 CO2-2 NO2- = nitrite PO3-3
= sulfite = carbonite = phosphite
-1 Oxygen -1 Oxygen -1 Oxygen -1 Oxygen
SO2-2 CO-2 = NO- = PO2-3 =
= hyposulfite hypocarbonite hyponitrite hypophosphite
Covalent Compounds
1.Name of the electropositive nonmetal is given first
followed by the name of the electronegative nonmetal
preceded by a prefix and ending in –ide.
CO2 = carbon dioxide
CCl4 = carbon tetrachloride
SO3 = sulfur trioxide
• The name of the first element is also preceded by a
prefix is there is more than 1 atom.
P2O5 = diphosphorus pentoxide
N2O4 = dinitrogen tetroxide
(tetraoxide = the a is dropped since it is followed by
another vowel)
 Prefix Number
Prefixes mono 1
di 2
tri 3
tetra 4
penta 5
hexa 6
hepta 7
octa 8
nona 9
deca 10
2. Binary Acids
hydro + name of (-) ion ending in –ic + acid

Compound Compound Name Acid Name

HCl hydrogen chloride hydrochloric acid
HCN hydrogen cyanide hydrocyanic acid
H2S dihydrogen sulfide hydrosulfuric acid
3.Oxy acids
Name of radical Change to Then add
ending in
-ate -ic acid
-ite -ous
Compound Compound Name Acid Name
HNO3 hydrogen nitrate nitric acid
HNO2 hydrogen nitrite nitrous acid
HC2H3O2 hydrogen acetate acetic acid