Question

List the steps in naming covalent compounds.

Answer 1

Rules for naming simple covalent compounds:

1. Name the non-metal furthest to the left on the periodic table by its elemental name.

2. Name the other non-metal by its elemental name and an -ide ending.

3. Use the prefixes mono-, di-, tri-.... to indicate the number of that element in the molecule.

4. If mono is the first prefix, it is understood and not written

Examples:

• N2O4 is called dinitrogen monoxide
• CO2 is called carbon dioxide
• CO is called carbon monoxide
• N2O is called dinitrogen monoxide. (It is also called nitrous oxide but that is another naming scheme.)
• CCl4 is called carbon tetrachloride

Here is a chart of those prefixes:

1 - mono

2 - di

3 - tri

4 - tetra

5 - penta

6 - hexa

7 - hepta

8 - octa

9 - nona

10 - deca

Answer 2

1. Name the non-metal furthest to the left on the periodic table by its elemental name.

2. Name the other non-metal by its elemental name and an -ide ending.

3. Use the prefixes mono-, di-, tri-.... to indicate the number of that element in the molecule.

4. If mono is the first prefix, it is understood and not written