NOMENCLATURE OF INORGANIC COMPOUNDS

AND CHEMICAL FORMULAS

Communication among chemists is simplified by an internationally accepted system of

notation – chemical formulas. As you know, each of elements has its symbol derived from its
Latin name and all chemists know what this symbol represents:
e.g. Hg – hydrargyrum – in English speaking countries MERCURY,
in German speaking countries QUECKSILBER,
in Czech RTUŤ, in Slovak ORTUŤ.
This „chemical alphabet” is very useful and an artificial language for expression of the
structures of various compounds has been accepted on its basis. A chemical formula is a
representation of the number and kind of atoms in a molecule of a substance and it is used in
addition (or in place) of the name of the substance in question.
At first you have to master the English and Latin names of elements. The symbol of an
elements originates in Latin name that is usually the same or nearly the same as the English
name (carboneum – carbon, chlorum – chlorine, nicollum – nickel). Unfortunately, there are
some elements with completely different names:
Sb – stibium – antimony; Cu – cuprum – copper; Au – aurum – gold; Fe – ferrum – iron; Pb –
plumbum – lead; Hg – hydrargyrum – mercury; Na – natrium – sodium; K – kalium –
potassium; Ag – argentum – silver; W – wolfram – tungsten; Sn – stannum – tin.
What are the basic rules of formula formation and what can help us? At first knowledge of
the oxidation number, which is a charge arbitrarily assigned to atoms by assuming that all
electrons in covalent bond belong to the more electronegative atom. Simple rules can be used
to get this oxidation number:
1) The usual oxidation number of hydrogen is +1, in hydrides -1, oxidation number of
oxygen is -2 (with exception of peroxides and superoxide and of oxygen fluoride).
2) The maximum positive oxidation number is usually the same as the number of the
Group in the periodic table in which the element is situated (with exception of fluorine,
oxygen, noble gases, several elements of Ib and VIIIb Groups and inner transition elements.
3) The sum of oxidation numbers of all atoms in a molecule is zero; in an ion, the sum is
the charge of the ion.
Another term is used in connection with atoms and ions – common valence (from Latin –
valentia = capacity). Common valence shows the combining capacity of an atom. By
convention, hydrogen is assigned a valence of 1. Then we can define the common valence of
an element (Cl- in HCl) or a combination of elements (SO 4-2 in H2SO4) as the number of
hydrogen atoms that combine with one atom of that element or group in anion.
WRITING FORMULAS
Copper(II) sulphate
1) the symbol of the cation is written: Cu
2) the numeral in brackets gives the oxidation state of the cation: +2 → Cu2+
3) the anion is written – the valence of anion is given by the suffix –ate, which is typical of
the higher oxidation state of an element, sulphates are salts of sulphuric acid H2SO4 → the
valence is -2: SO4-2
4) the molecule is electroneutral: the formula is CuSO4
 NAMING COMPOUNDS
The IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) recommendations
prevail. However, we cannot omit the traditional names.
The common rules:
The name of an element which forms a positive ion (cation) is written first and the name
of anion is written then.
Example: sodium chloride (table salt, rock salt)
BINARY COMPOUNDS (TWO ELEMENTS)
- the second element (anion) is given the suffix -IDE,
- when an element exhibits more than one combining capacity, its valence is shown as a
Roman numeral or it is recommended to use Greek prefixes: 1 – mono- (usually
omitted), 2 – di-, 3 – tri-, 4 – tetra-, 5 – penta-, 6 – hexa- …….,
- in the traditional system, the compounds are distinguished by
the suffix -OUS for the lower oxidation state,
the suffix - IC for the higher oxidation state,
- sometimes, trivial names are still used (calomel).
Oxides
IUPAC recommendation trivial names
CaO calcium oxide quicklime
N2O nitrogen(I) oxide = nitrogen oxide = nitrous oxide laughing gas
NO nitrogen(II) oxide = nitrogen oxide = nitric oxide
N2O3 nitrogen(III) oxide = dinitrogen trioxide
NO2 nitrogen(IV) oxide = nitrogen dioxide
N2O5 nitrogen(V) oxide = dinitrogen pentaoxide
Cu2O copper(I) oxide = dicopper oxide = cuprous oxide
CuO copper(II) oxide = copper oxide = cupric oxide
Salts
ZnF2 zinc fluoride
SnCl2 tin(II) chloride = tin dichloride = stannous chloride
Hg2Cl2 mercury(I) chloride = dimercury dichloride = mercurous chloride calomel
HgCl2 mercury (II) chloride = mercury dichloride = mercuric chloride sublimate
CdS cadmium sulphate
KCN potassium cyanide
Acids
Their names are derived from the name of the basic element with
the prefix HYDRO- and the suffix –IC
and the term ACID.
HBr hydrobromic acid (aqueous solution)
HCN hydrocyanic acid ″ prussic ac.
H2S hydrosulphuric acid ″ (or hydrogen sulphide in the gaseous state)

Hydroxides (bases)
The term hydroxide is placed after the name of the metal involved with addition of the
valency state.
NaOH sodium hydroxide sodium lye, caustic soda solution
KOH potassium hydroxide potassium lye, caustic potash
Fe(OH)2 iron(II) hydroxide = ferrous hydroxide
Fe(OH)3 iron(III) hydroxide = ferric hydroxide
OXO ACIDS AND THEIR SALTS
- the basic element is in one oxidation state
The names of oxo acid derive from the name of the basic element with
the suffix - IC + the term ACID,
corresponding salts end in
the suffix - ATE + the name of the cation.
Acid Salt
H2CO3 carbonic acid Na2CO3 sodium carbonate
H3BO3 boric acid K3BO3 potassium borate
H2MoO4 molybdic acid (NH4)2MoO4 ammonium molybdate
- the basic element is in two oxidation states
The names of oxo acids derive from the name of the basic element with
the suffix -OUS for the lower oxidation state + the term ACID,
the suffix - IC for the higher oxidation state + the term ACID,
corresponding salts end in
the suffix - ITE for the lower oxidation state + the name of cation.
the suffix - ATE for the higher oxidation state + the name of cation.

HNO2 nitrous acid NaNO2 sodium nitrite

HNO3 nitric acid Co(NO3)2 cobalt(II) nitrate = cobaltous nitrate
- the basic element is in more than in two oxidation states
the lowest oxidation state: the prefix HYPO- and the suffix –OUS
the lower oxidation state: the suffix –OUS
the higher oxidation state: the suffix –IC
the highest oxidation state: the prefix PER- and the suffix –IC
HClO hypochlorous acid KClO potassium hypochlorite
HClO2 chlorous acid KClO2 potassium chlorite
HClO3 chloric acid KClO3 potassium chlorate
HClO4 perchloric acid KClO4 potassium perchlorate
HMnO4 permanganic acid AgMnO4 silver permanganate

- the acids differ in the amount of molecules of H2O

Some acids differ in the content of water in regard to the anhydride used for the formation of
the acid. This is typical of acids derived from antimony, silicon, arsenic, the most important
being phosphorus.
the lower water content: the prefix META-
the higher water content: the prefix ORTHO-
or
the Greek numeral corresponding to the number of hydrogen atoms
P2O5 + H2O → 2 HPO3 metaphosphoric acids = hydrogenphosphoric acid
P2O5 + 3 H2O → 2 H3PO4 orthophosphoric acids = trihydrogenphosphoric acid
= phosphoric acid

- the acids differ in the amount of the basic element

The prefix DI- or PYRO- added to the basic element are used.
P2O5 + 3 H2O → H4P2O7 diphosphoric acids = pyrophosphoric acid
2 CrO3 + H2O → H2Cr2O7 dichromic acid = pyrochromic acids
2 SO3 + H2O → H2S2O7 disulphuric acid = pyrosulphuric acid
- the thio acids
The acids derive from oxo acids by replacement of oxygen with sulphur – the prefix THIO- is
used.
H2SO4 = sulphuric acid
H2S2O3 thiosulphuric acid Na2S2O3 sodium thiosulphate
H2SnS3 trithiostannic acid Na2SnS3 sodium trithiostannate
HSCN thiocyanic acid KSCN potassium thiocyanate

- the hydrogen salts

If only one hydrogen atom is replaced by a metal ion in acids with more than one hydrogen
atom in the molecule, acid salts are formed. The number of hydrogen atoms and metal ions is
characterized by Greek prefix di-, (bi-), tri-.
Na3PO4 trisodium phosphate (tertiary phosphate)
Na2HPO4 disodium hydrogen phosphate (secondary phosphate)
NaH2PO4 sodium dihydrogen phosphate (primary phosphate)
NaHCO3 sodium bicarbonate (sodium hydrogen phosphate)

NOMENCLATURE OF COORDINATION COMPOUNDS

The ability to form coordination (complex) compound is a typical property of the transition
metals and some representative elements (Al, Pb, Sn).
Each of the complex compounds has a metal atom called the central atom that is
surrounded by anions or neutral molecules called ligands. The central atom (with a zero or
positive oxidation number) must contain a vacant orbital. The ligand is an electron donor and
it has at least one unshared pair of electrons. The number of atoms bonded to the central atom
is called the coordination number. It is usually six (Fe, Co), four (Pt, |Cu) or two (Ag).
List of central atoms and ligands with their names

Central Cationic Anionic Ligand Name

atom complex complex
Ag silver argentate Cl- chloro
Al aluminium aluminate Br- bromo
Au gold aurate F- fluoro
Co cobalt cobaltate I- iodo
Cr chromium chromate CN- cyano
Cu copper cuprate OH- hydroxo
Fe ferrum ferrate NO2- nitro
Hg mercury mercurate H2O aqua
Mn manganese manganate NH3 ammine
Ni nickel nickelate CO carbonyl
Pb lead plumbate NO nitrosyl
Pt platinum platinate
Sn tin stannate
Zn zinc zincate

The charge on the complex ion (cation or anion) is the algebraic sum of the charges on its
parts.
 WRITING FORMULAS
At first symbol of cation is written then the central atom and ligands (in round brackets if it
is molecule or a group). The complex cation or anion must be in squared brackets.
Example:
Potassium hexacyanoferrate(III) (potassium ferricyanate)
K+ [Fe3+(CN)6]-3 K3 [Fe (CN)6]3

NAMING COMPOUNDS
Name the cation then name the ligand (the number specified by the Greek prefix) and
central atom (the oxidation number must be given by a Roman numeral in round brackets).
Example:
K2 [HgI4] potassium tetraiodomercurate(II)
[Cr(H2O)]Br3 hexaaquachromium(III) bromide