Naming Covalent and Molecular Compounds; Chemistry

Binary Molecular Compounds consist of...

2 non-metal elements

BCl3 (molecular)

Boron trichloride

dibromine tetraiodide

Br2I4

carbon trichloride

CCl3

Carbon Trioxide

CO3

CO2 (molecular)

Carbon dioxide

CO (Molecular)

Carbon monoxide

CI4 (molecular)

Carbon tetriodide

dihydrogen monoxide

H2O

trihydrogen monophosphide

H3P

hydrogen monochloride

HCl

What do the Greek numerical prefixes (i.e. mono, di, tri...) tell you?

How many atoms are present in each molecule of the compound

Step 2 of naming Binary Molecular Compounds

Identify how many of each atom are present

dinitrogen heptachloride

N2Cl7

nitrogen tribromide

NBr3

Step 1 of naming Binary Molecular Compounds

Name the elements in the order listed

Step 4 of naming Binary Molecular Compounds

Omit the "mono" if the 1st element only has 1 atom

disulfur tetrafluoride

S2F4

Step 6 of naming Binary Molecular Compounds

Sometimes drop the vowel at the end of the prefix when the element begins with a vowel

Step 5 of naming Binary Molecular Compounds

Use the "mono" if the 2nd element is present as one atom

Greek prefix meaning "ten"

deca

Greek prefix meaning "two"

di

Cl2O7 (molecular)

dichlorine heptoxide

Greek prefix meaning "seven"

hepta

Greek prefix meaning "six"

hexa

Step 3 of naming Binary Molecular Compounds

make sure the second element ends in -ide

Greek prefix meaning "one"

mono

Greek prefix meaning "nine"

nona

Greek prefix meaning "eight"

octa

Greek prefix meaning "five"

penta

mom

supreme being, one to listen to in order to grow up, one to talk to when in doubt, one who loves you

Greek prefix meaning "four"

tetra

Greek prefix meaning "three"

tri