Ionic Naming

1. Naming Ionic Compounds,
Cations and Anions
"What's in a name?
That which we call a
rose, by any other
name, would smell as
sweet."
Romeo and Juliet (II, ii, 1-2)

2. Elements and symbols that
you should know:
Part 1 – The obvious ones:
1.Hydrogen
2.Helium
3.Lithium
4.Beryllium
5.Boron
6.Carbon
7.Nitrogen
1.Oxygen
2.Fluorine
3.Neon
4.Magnesium
5.Aluminium
6.Silicon
7.Phosphorus
H
He
Li
Be
B
C
N
O
F
Ne
Mg
Al
Si
P

3. Some more obvious ones:
1.Sulfur
2.Chlorine
3.Argon
18) Calcium
19) Zinc
The less obvious ones:
1.Sodium
2.Potassium
3.Iron
4.Copper
5.Silver
6) Tin
7) Gold
8) Mercury
9) Lead
S
Cl
Ar
Ca
Zn
Na
K
Fe
Cu
Ag
Sn
Au
Hg
Pb

4. Naming Systems
•A lot of chemicals have common names as well
as the proper IUPAC name.
oCommon name = “nickname”
oProper name = systematic name developed by
methods of the International Union of Pure and
Applied Chemists
•Though chemicals have both a common and
proper name, some chemicals are called
exclusively by their common name:
oH2O water, not dihydrogen monoxide
oNH3 ammonia, not nitrogen trihydride

5. CATION + ANION N
COMPOUND
A neutral
compound
requires
equal number of
(+)
and (-) charges.
COMPOUNDS
FORMED FROM
IONS
Na+ + Cl- M NaCl
Let’s learn how to name the ions. Then, we can name
their compounds.

6. Predicting Charges on Monatomic
Ions
KNOW THESE !!!!
+1 +2 +3 +4 -3 -2 -1 0
Cd+2

7. Rule – The metal ion has the same name as the element
but add “ion” after
Naming Monatomic Cations:

8. Rule – The transition metal ion has the same name as the element but
add the charge value in Roman Numerals after:
•This happens with the following elements:
oFe = Iron
h
Fe2+ = Iron (II) ion
oFe = Iron
=
Fe3+ = Iron (III) ion
•Name each of the following monatomic cations:
Cu
2+
Cu
+
Hg
2+
Sn
4+
Co
3+
Naming Transition Cations:
Writing the transition ions
this way helps to differentiate
between the different
“flavors” the ions come in

9. Examples of Older Names of Cations
formed from Transition Metals
(you do not have to memorize these)

10. Rule – When a nonmetal forms an ion, it is named:
element stem name + “-ide” + ion
Naming Monatomic Anions:

11. •1. Cation first, then anion
•2. Monatomic cation = name of the
element
•Ca
2+
= calcium ion
•3. Monatomic anion = root + -ide
•Cl

= chloride
•CaCl
2 = calcium chloride
Overview of
Binary Ionic Compounds:

12. The cation name + the anion “stem-ide”
•CaO = Calcium cation + Oxygen anion  calcium oxide
•LiF = Lithium + Fluorine  Lithium Fluoride
•Name each of the following monatomic anions:
Rule – the cation goes FIRST the anion SECOND
The naming uses the individual ion naming system:
Naming Ionic Compounds:
LiBr
CaBr
2
MgO
KCl
BeS

13. Ionic Naming Practice
NaCl
CaCl
2
MgO
Al
2
O
3
FeBr
2
CuCl
SnO
2
Fe
2
O
3
Hg
2
S

14. Ionic Naming Practice
NaCl
CaCl
2
MgO
Al
2
O
3
FeBr
2
CuCl
SnO
2
Fe
2
O
3
Hg
2
S
Sodium chloride
Calcium chloride
Magnesium oxide
Aluminium oxide
Iron (II) Bromide
Copper (I) Chloride
Tin (IV) Oxide
Iron (III) Oxide
Mercury (II) Sulfide
[notice the subscript
number under the
oxygen = the number for
Iron’s Roman Numerals]

15. Ionic Naming Warm Up
NaBr
BeCl
2
K
2
O
Al
2
S
3
AgBr
2

CdCl
2

SnO
FeO
CuS

16. Ionic Naming Warm Up
NaBr
BeCl
2
K
2
O
Al
2
S
3
AgBr
2

CdCl
2

SnO
FeO
CuS
Sodium bromide
Beryllium chloride
Potassium oxide
Aluminium sulfide
Silver Bromide
Cadmium (II) Chloride
Tin (II) Oxide
Iron (II) Oxide
Copper (II) Sulfide

17. Now…Polyatomics
•NO
3
-
= nitrate ion
•NO2- = nitrite ion

18. Polyatomic ions (-1 charge)
•H2PO4 Dihydrogen phosphate
•C2H3O2 Acetate
•HSO3 Hydrogen Sulfite
•HCO3 Hydrogen Carbonate
•NO2 Nitrite
•NO3 Nitrate
•CN Cyanide
•OH Hydroxide
•MnO4 Permanganate
•ClO Hypochlorite
•ClO2 Chlorite
•ClO3 Chlorate
•ClO4 Perchlorate

19. Polyatomic ions (-2 charge)
•HPO4 Hydrogen Phosphate
•C2O4 Oxalate
•SO3 Sulfite
•SO4 Sulfate
•CO3 Carbonate
•CrO4 Chromate
•Cr2O7 Dichromate
•SiO3 Silicate

20. Polyatomic ions (-3 charge)
•PO3 Phosphite
•PO4 Phosphate

21. 1. Cation first, then anion
2. Monatomic cation = elemental name
Ca2+ = calcium ion
3. polyatomic anion = name of polyatomic
CO32 = carbonate
Thus n CaCO3 = calcium carbonate
Overview of Naming
Ternary Ionic Compounds:
Take Home Message: Same method as with binary ionics
except a polyatomic anion is in place of the monatomic anion!

22. Naming Ternary Compounds
•Contains at least 3 elements
•There MUST be at least one polyatomic ion
(it helps to circle the ions)
•Examples:
NaNO3 Sodium nitrate
K2SO4 Potassium sulfate
Al(HCO3)3 Aluminum hydrogen carbonate
or
Aluminum bicarbonate

23. Learning Check
Match each set with the correct name:
•Na2CO3
a) sodium cyanate
b) sodium bicarbonate
c) sodium carbonate
2 . Mg(HCO3)2
a) magnesium carbonate
b) magnesium phosphate
c) magnesium bicarbonate

24. we’ve learned to
name Chemicals
Now, let’s write some
formulas!

25. Ternary Ionic Formulas
Calcium Sulfate
Ca2+ and SO4-2
CaSO4
Iron (III) hydroxide
Fe+3 and OH-
Fe(OH)3
Ammonium carbonate
NH4+ and CO3–2
(NH4)2CO3
The (2+) and (2-) charges
cancel each other out
So, we need one of each
The (3+) needs (3-) to cancel
but OH is only a (1-)
So, we need three OH ions
The (2-) needs (2+) to cancel
but NH4 is only a (1+)
So, we need two NH4 ions

26. Learning Check
1. aluminum nitrate
a) AlNO3 b) Al(NO)3 c) Al(NO3)3
2. copper (II) nitrate
a) CuNO3 b) Cu(NO3)2 c) Cu2(NO3)
3. Iron (III) hydroxide
a) FeOH b) Fe3OH c) Fe(OH)3
4. Tin (IV) hydroxide
a) Sn(OH)4 b) Sn(OH)2 c) Sn4(OH)

27. Ionic Formula Writing
Going in Reverse of Naming
•Write each ion separately
oCation first
oAnion second
oDon’t show ion charges in the final formula
•Overall charge of compound must equal
zero
oIf charges on the cation and anion cancel
each other o just write one of each ion
oIf not, you need more than one of either the
cation or anion
Use subscripts to balance charges
Use parentheses to show more than one of a
particular polyatomic ion.

28. 1. Cation first, then anion
2. Monatomic cation = elemental name
calcium = Ca2+
3. monatomic anion = “-ide” name
sulfide = S2-
Thus d calcium sulfide = CaS
Overview of
Formula Writing Steps:
Take Home Message: It’s just that easy!
But, beware the charge balance!!!!!!

29. You Try it:
Write these out on your notes
Write the formula:
Potassium bromide

Barium fluoride e
Copper (II) oxide

Calcium nitride e
Aluminum carbonate
y
Beryllium hydroxide
o
KBr K+ & Br-
BaF2 Ba2+ & F-
CuO Cu2+ & O2-
Ca3N2 Ca2+ & N3-
Al2(CO3)3 Al3+ & CO32-
Be(OH)2 Be2+ & OH-
*Notice any relationship between the charges of the anions
and the subscripts on the cations? Vice-versa?

30. Can You Write It?
•From a name?
oLithium oxide
Li2O
oSodium Sulfate
Na2SO4
•From the individual ions can you make a formula?
oFe3+ & Br-
FeBr3
oK+ & MnO4-
KMnO4

31. Got It?