The IUPAC nomenclature of inorganic chemistry is a systematic method of naming inorganic chemical compounds as recommended by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). Ideally, every inorganic compound should have a name from which an unambiguous formula can be determined. There is also an IUPAC nomenclature of organic chemistry. There are millions of possible objects that can be described in science, too many to create common names for every one. ... Inorganic chemistry is the branch of chemistry concerned with the properties and reactions of inorganic compounds. ... A chemical compound is a chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemically bonded chemical elements, with a fixed ratio determining the composition. ... IUPAC logo The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) (Pronounced as eye-you-pack) is an international non-governmental organization established in 1919 devoted to the advancement of chemistry. ... An inorganic compound is a chemical compound that is not an organic compound. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The IUPAC nomenclature of organic chemistry is a systematic way of naming organic chemical compounds as recommended by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). ...

The names "caffeine" and "3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione" both describe the same chemical. The systematic name encodes the structure and composition of the caffeine molecule in some detail, and provides an unambiguous reference to this compound, whereas the name "caffeine" just names it. These advantages make the systematic name far superior to the common name when absolute clarity and precision are required. However, even professional chemists will use the non-systematic name almost all of the time, because caffeine is a well-known common chemical with a unique structure. Similarly, H₂O is most often simply called water in English, though other chemical names do exist. Caffeine is a xanthine alkaloid compound that acts as a stimulant in humans. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ...

1. Single atom anions are named with an -ide suffix: for example, H⁻ is hydride.
2. Compounds with a positive ion (cation), the name of the compound is simply the cation's name (usually the same as the element's), followed by the anion. For example, NaCl is sodium chloride, and CaF₂ is calcium fluoride.
3. Cations able to take on more than one positive charge are labeled with Roman numerals in parentheses. For example, Cu⁺ is copper(I), Cu²⁺ is copper(II). An older, deprecated notation is to append -ous or -ic to the root of the Latin name to name ions with a lesser or greater charge. Under this naming convention, Cu⁺ is cuprous and Cu²⁺ is cupric. For naming metal complexes see the page on complex (chemistry).
4. Oxyanions (polyatomic anions containing oxygen) are named with -ite or -ate, for a lesser or greater quantity of oxygen. For example, NO₂⁻ is nitrite, while NO₃⁻ is nitrate. If four oxyanions are possible, the prefixes hypo- and per- are used: hypochlorite is ClO⁻, perchlorate is ClO₄⁻,
5. The prefix bi- is a deprecated way of indicating the presence of a single hydrogen ion, as in "sodium bicarbonate" (NaHCO₃). The modern method specifically names the hydrogen atom. Thus, NaHCO₃ would be pronounced "sodium hydrogen carbonate".

Positively charged ions are called cations and negatively charged ions are called anions. The cation is always named first. Ions can be metals or polyatomic ions. Therefore the name of the metal or positive polyatomic ion is followed by the name of the non-metal or negative polyatomic ion. The positive ion retains its element name whereas for a single non-metal anion the ending is changed to -ide. “Multivalent” redirects here. ... A cation is an ion with positive charge. ... Roman numerals are a numeral system originating in ancient Rome, adapted from Etruscan numerals. ... Synthesis of copper(II)-tetraphenylporphine, a metal complex, from tetraphenylporphine and copper(II) acetate monohydrate. ... Definition An oxyanion is a polyatomic ion with a negative charge that contains oxygen. ... In computer software standards and documentation, deprecation is the gradual phasing-out of a software or programming language feature. ... General Name, Symbol, Number hydrogen, H, 1 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 1, 1, s Appearance colorless Atomic mass 1. ... A cation is an ion with positive charge. ... An anion is an ion with negative charge. ...

Example: sodium chloride, potassium oxide, or calcium carbonate.

When the metal has more than one possible ionic charge or oxidation number the name becomes ambiguous. In these cases the oxidation number of the metal ion is represented by a Roman numeral in parentheses immediately following the metal ion name. For example in uranium(VI) fluoride the oxidation number of uranium is 6. Another example is the iron oxides. FeO is iron(II) oxide and Fe₂O₃ is iron(III) oxide. The oxidation number of an element in a molecule or complex is the charge that it would have if all the ligands (basically, atoms that donate electrons) were removed along with the electron pairs that were shared with the central atom[1]. It is used in the inorganic nomenclature of... - Emo Philips A word, phrase, sentence, or other communication is called ambiguous if it can be reasonably interpreted in more than one way. ... The oxidation number of an element in a molecule or complex is the charge that it would have if all the ligands (basically, atoms that donate electrons) were removed along with the electron pairs that were shared with the central atom[1]. It is used in the inorganic nomenclature of... General Name, Symbol, Number uranium, U, 92 Chemical series actinides Group, Period, Block n/a, 7, f Appearance silvery gray metallic; corrodes to a spalling black oxide coat in air Standard atomic weight 238. ...

An older system used prefixes and suffixes to indicate the oxidation number, according to the following scheme:

Thus the four oxyacids of chlorine are called hypochlorous acid (HOCl), chlorous acid (HOClO), chloric acid (HOClO₂) and perchloric acid (HOClO₃), and their respective conjugate bases are the hypochlorite, chlorite, chlorate and perchlorate ions. This system has partially fallen out of use, but survives in the common names of many chemical compounds: the modern literature contains few references to "ferric chloride" (instead calling it "iron(III) chloride"), but names like "potassium permanganate" (instead of "potassium manganate(VII)") and "sulfuric acid" abound. General Name, Symbol, Number chlorine, Cl, 17 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 3, p Appearance yellowish green Standard atomic weight 35. ... Within the Brønsted-Lowry (protonic) theory of acids and bases, a conjugate acid is the acid member, HX, of a pair of two compounds that transform into each other by gain or loss of a proton. ... In science, a common name is any name by which a species or other concept is known that is not the official scientific name. ... A chemical compound is a chemical substance consisting of two or more different chemically bonded chemical elements, with a fixed ratio determining the composition. ...

Traditional naming

Naming simple ionic compounds

An ionic compound is named by its cation followed by its anion. See polyatomic ions for a list of possible ions. A polyatomic ion or molecule ion is an ion consisting of covalently bonded atoms that can be considered as acting as a single unit in the context of acid/base chemistry or in the formation of salts. ...

For cations that take on multiple charges, the charge is written using Roman numerals in parentheses immediately following the element name) For example, Cu(NO₃)₂ is copper(II) nitrate, because the charge of two nitrate ions (NO₃^-1) is 2 × −1 = −2, and since the net charge of the ionic compound must be zero, the Cu ion has a 2+ charge. This compound is therefore copper(II) nitrate. In the case of cations with a 4+ oxidation state, the acceptable format for the Roman numeral 4 is IV and not IIII. The system of Roman numerals is a numeral system originating in ancient Rome, and was adapted from Etruscan numerals. ... Copper(II) nitrate is the chemical compound with the formula Cu(NO3)2. ... An electrostatic potential map of the nitrate ion. ... In chemistry, an ionic compound is a chemical compound in which ions are held together in a lattice structure by ionic bonds. ...

The Roman numerals in fact show the oxidation number, but in simple ionic compounds (i.e., not metal complexes) this will always equal the ionic charge on the metal. For a simple overview see [1], for more details see selected pages from IUPAC rules for naming inorganic compounds. The system of Roman numerals is a numeral system originating in ancient Rome, and was adapted from Etruscan numerals. ... The oxidation number of an element in a molecule or complex is the charge that it would have if all the ligands (basically, atoms that donate electrons) were removed along with the electron pairs that were shared with the central atom[1]. It is used in the inorganic nomenclature of... Synthesis of copper(II)-tetraphenylporphine, a metal complex, from tetraphenylporphine and copper(II) acetate monohydrate. ...

List of common ion names

Monatomic anions:

Cl⁻ chloride

S²⁻ sulfide

P³⁻ phosphide

Polyatomic ions: The chloride ion is formed when the element chlorine picks up one electron to form an anion (negatively-charged ion) Cl−. The salts of hydrochloric acid HCl contain chloride ions and can also be called chlorides. ... Formally, sulfide is the dianion, S2−, which exists in strongly alkaline aqueous solutions formed from H2S or alkali metal salts such as Li2S, Na2S, and K2S. Sulfide is exceptionally basic and, with a pKa > 14, it does not exist in appreciable concentrations even in highly alkaline water. ... A phosphide ion is a phosphorus atom with three extra electrons and charge -3. ... An electrostatic potential map of the nitrate ion (NO3−). Areas coloured red are lower in energy than areas coloured yellow A polyatomic ion is an ion consisting of a molecule with covalently bonded atoms or of a metal complex that can be considered as acting as a single unit in...

NH₄⁺ ammonium

H₃O⁺ hydronium

NO₃⁻ nitrate

NO₂⁻ nitrite

ClO⁻ hypochlorite

ClO₂⁻ chlorite

ClO₃⁻ chlorate

ClO₄⁻ perchlorate

SO₃²⁻ sulfite

SO₄²⁻ sulfate

HSO₃⁻ hydrogen sulfite (or bisulfite)

HCO₃⁻ hydrogen carbonate (or bicarbonate)

CO₃²⁻ carbonate

PO₄³⁻ phosphate

HPO₄²⁻ hydrogen phosphate

H₂PO₄⁻ dihydrogen phosphate

CrO₄²⁻ chromate

Cr₂O₇²⁻ dichromate

BO₃³⁻ orthoborate

AsO₄³⁻ arsenate

C₂O₄²⁻ oxalate

CN⁻ cyanide

SCN⁻ thiocyanate

MnO₄⁻ permanganate

A ball-and-stick model of the ammonium cation Fumes from hydrochloric acid and ammonia forming a white cloud of ammonium chloride Ammonium is also an old name for the Siwa Oasis in western Egypt. ... In chemistry, hydronium is the common name for the cation H3O+ derived from protonation of water. ... An electrostatic potential map of the nitrate ion. ... // Definition The nitrite ion is NO2−. A nitrite compound is one that contains this group, either an ionic compound, or an analogous covalent one. ... The hypochlorite ion The hypochlorite ion is OCl−. A hypochlorite compound is a chemical compound containing this group, with chlorine in oxidation state +1. ... The chlorite ion This discusses some chlorine compounds. ... Definition The chlorate ion ClO3-. A chlorate (compound) is a compound that contains this group, with chlorine in oxidation state +5. ... Perchlorates are the salts derived from perchloric acid (HClO4). ... A space-filling model of the sulfite anion Sulfites (also sulphite) are compounds that contain the sulfite ion SO32−. They are often used as preservatives in wines (to prevent spoilage and oxidation), dried fruits, and dried potato products. ... In inorganic chemistry, a sulfate (IUPAC-recommended spelling; also sulphate in British English) is a salt of sulfuric acid. ... Structure of bisulfite In inorganic chemistry, the bisulfite (IUPAC-recommended nomenclature: hydrogen sulfite) ion is the HSO3− ion. ... The bisulfite ion is the HSO3- ion. ... This refers to the bicarbonate ion, for baking soda, see Sodium bicarbonate. ... In inorganic chemistry, a bicarbonate (IUPAC-recommended nomenclature: hydrogencarbonate) is an intermediate form in the deprotonation of carbonic acid. ... In organic chemistry, a carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid. ... Above is a ball-and-stick model of the inorganic hydrogenphosphate anion (HPO42−). Colour coding: P (orange); O (red); H (white). ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... In inorganic chemistry, a phosphate is a salt of phosphoric acid. ... A sample of ammonium dichromate Chromates and dichromates are salts of chromic acid and dichromic acid, respectively. ... Chromates and Dichromates are salts of chromic acid. ... The arsenate ion is AsO43-. An arsenate (compound) is some compound that contains this ion. ... An oxalate (called also: ethanedioate) is a salt or ester of oxalic acid. ... The cyanide ion, CN−. From the top: 1. ... Thiocyanate (also known as sulphocyanate or thiocyanide) is both an anion SCN- and, in organic chemistry, a functional group: An example of the anion is found in potassium thiocyanate, KSCN. Thiocyanate is analogous to the cyanate ion, OCN-, wherein oxygen is replaced by sulfur. ... The structure of the permanganate anion A permanganate is a chemical compound that contains the permanganate ion (MnO4−). Because manganese is in the +7 oxidation state, the permanganate ion is a strong oxidizer. ...

Naming hydrates

Hydrates are ionic compounds that have absorbed water. They are named as the ionic compound followed by a numerical prefix and -hydrate. The numerical prefixes used are listed below: Hydrate is a term which means different things in inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry. ...

1. mono-
2. di-
3. tri-
4. tetra-
5. penta-
6. hexa-
7. hepta-
8. octa-
9. nona-
10. deca-

For example, CuSO₄ · 5H₂O is "copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate".

Naming molecular compounds

Inorganic molecular compounds are named with a prefix (see list above) before each element. The more electronegative element is written last and with an -ide suffix. For example, CO₂ is carbon dioxide, and CCl₄ is carbon tetrachloride. There are some exceptions to the rule, however. The prefix mono- is not used with the first element; for example, CO₂ is carbon dioxide, not "monocarbon dioxide". Sometimes prefixes are shortened when the ending vowel of the prefix "conflicts" with a starting vowel in the compound. This makes the compound easier to speak; for example, CO is "carbon monoxide" (as opposed to "monooxide"). Electronegativity is a measure of the ability of an atom or molecule to attract electrons in the context of a chemical bond. ...

Naming acids

Acids are named by the anion they form when dissolved in water. If an acid forms an anion named ___ide, it is named hydro___ic acid. For example, hydrochloric acid forms a chloride anion. Secondly, anions with an -ate suffix are formed when acids with an -ic suffix are dissolved, e.g. chloric acid; anions with an -ite suffix are formed when acids with an -ous suffix are dissolved in water, e.g. chlorous acid disassociates into chlorite anions.

2005 revision of IUPAC's nomenclature for inorganic compounds

With the last revision of the nomenclature, many things changed. Most important is, that there is no absolute right name for one compound anymore. As long as the name describes the compound sufficiently and unambiguously, the name is correct. Old names such as water, carbonyl or cyano are still tolerated. — The "old names" may still have to be understood, but the systematic IUPAC nomenclature is easier to learn (because it is systematic) and always right to use. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is an international non-governmental organization devoted to the advancement of chemistry. ...

There are basically two different ways to describe a compound: compositional and substitutive nomenclature.

Compositional nomenclature

This ansatz tries to describe how a molecule is constructed from some kind of core, in partial imitation of the system for naming coordination compounds. The core(s) of the molecule is taken to be the atom with the lowest electronegativity (EN) (e.g. in CO, C, with EN=2.5, is taken to be the core, whereas O has EN=3.5). The choice of core element determines the stem name of the compound. If the compound is negatively charged, the name is augmented by a suffix: -ide if no other element is present and -ate otherwise. Ansatz (Ger. ... Electronegativity is a measure of the ability of an atom or molecule to attract electrons in the context of a chemical bond. ...

Then the surrounding atoms and groups are described in the manner used to describe the ligand portions of coordination compounds. The ligand names are determined similarly to the core name. The suffix -o marks a group as a ligand. Identical groups are named collectively using a counting prefix (i.e. tri-, tetra- or bis-). In chemistry, a ligand is an atom, ion, or molecule (see also: functional group) that generally donates one or more of its electrons through a coordinate covalent bond to, or shares its electrons through a covalent bond with, one or more central atoms or ions (these ligands act as a...

After the naming of atoms, designators for charge, radical function, water of crystallization, bridging or multicoordinating ligands are added. Brackets are employed to eliminate ambiguities. Last but not least, the ligand names (if there are distinct ligands) are listed separately in alphabetical order; the alphabetical naming order disregards the counting prefixes. Look up charge in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... In chemistry, radicals (often referred to as free radicals) are atomic or molecular species with unpaired electrons on an otherwise open shell configuration. ... Water of crystallization (alt. ...

Cations and anions are treated separately (in that order). An ion is an atom or group of atoms with a net electric charge. ... ...

Exemplification:

Substitutive nomenclature

This ansatz generalises the organic nomenclature and follows basically the same rules. All elements are given -ane base names and the unsaturated bonds are filled up with hydrogen atoms. E.g. oxidane is a single oxygen atom, the loose ends of which are connected to hydrogen atoms, we also call it water H₂O. Dioxidane is a molecule with a chain of two oxygen atoms, with hydrogen atoms at every loose bond, this makes H₂O₂ or hydrogen peroxide. Ansatz (Ger. ... Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a very pale blue liquid which appears colourless in a dilute solution, slightly more viscous than water. ...

See also

• IUPAC nomenclature
• IUPAC nomenclature of organic chemistry
• List of inorganic compounds
• Water of Crystallization

IUPAC nomenclature is a system of naming chemical compounds and of describing the science of chemistry in general. ... The IUPAC nomenclature of organic chemistry is a systematic way of naming organic chemical compounds as recommended by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). ... This page aims to list well-known inorganic compounds, including organometallic compounds, to stimulate the creation of Wikipedia articles. ... Water of crystallization (alt. ...

References

1. ^  Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry, Recommendations 1990, Oxford:Blackwell Scientific Publications. (1990)

External links

• IUPAC Provisional Recommendations for the Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry (2004) (online draft of an updated version of the "Red Book")
• Bibliography of IUPAC Recommendations on Inorganic Nomenclature (last updated 2004-02-17)
• ChemTeam Highschool Tutorial
• PDF file SUNY Potsdam.edu
• Nomenclature Tutorial