WRITING FORMULAS AND NAMING MOLECULAR COMPOUNDS

Molecular compounds are composed of two or more nonmetals covalently

joined together. There are several variations of nomenclature for molecular
compounds, but here we will only discuss the prefix method for binary
molecular compounds.

Since there are no ions in molecular compounds, you need not worry about
ion charges. Once you realize that you are dealing with a molecular
compound, you use the set of prefixes given below to indicate the number of
atoms of each element in the molecule of the compound. The prefixes are as
follows:

mono… one hexa… six

di… two hepta… seven

tri… three octa… eight

tetra… four nona… nine

penta… five deca… ten

FORMULA WRITING

To write a formula for a molecular compound, just follow the directions

indicated by the prefixes in the name of the compound. The prefixes tell you
the number of atoms of the element in the compound.

Example: Write the chemical formula for nitrogen dioxide.

Nitrogen and oxygen are obviously the two elements in the compound. The
absence of a prefix on nitrogen and the "di" in front of oxide indicates 2
atoms of oxygen. So the formula is

NO2

Write formulas for these molecular compounds:

1. Silicon dioxide SiO2 4. Dicarbon hexafluoride C2F6

2. Carbon dioxide CO2 5. Phosphorus pentachloride PCl5

3. Diarsenic pentachloride As2Cl5 6. Nitrogen trioxide NO3

7. Dinitrogen pentoxide N2O5 9. Dicarbon tetrahydride C2H4

8. Sulfur pentoxide SO5 10. Chlorine heptaiodide ClI7

NAMING

To name a molecular compound, name each element in the compound

adding a prefix to tell the number of atoms of each element in the
compound. Add the "ide" ending to the name of the last element.

Example: Name Si2O3 Answer: Disilicon trioxide

Name these molecular compounds:

1. SiCl4 Silicon tetrachloride 6. P2O5 Diphosphide

Pentaoxide

2. CO carbon monoxide 7. NO
Nitrogen Monoxide
3. SeO2 selenium dioxide 8. NO2 Nitrogen
dioxide

4. C2H6 Dicarbon hexahydride 9. CBr4 Carbon

tetrabromide

5. BCl3 Boron trichloride 10. As2O3 Diarsenic

trioxide

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Below is a mixture of ionic compounds. First, classify each as IONIC or

MOLECULAR(covalent) and write the name or formulas is indicated.

Classification Name Formula

Ionic Copper II Chloride CuCl2
Ionic Ammonium oxide (NH4)2O
Molecular Nitrogen monoxide NO
Ionic Lithium hydroxide LiOH
Ionic Barium phosphate Ba3(Po4)2
ionic Phospherous PCl5
Pentachloride
Ionic Chromium (III) Nitrate Cr(NO3)3
Molecular Carbon tetrachloride CCl4
Ionic Sodium sulfide Na2S
Ionic Lead IV acetate Pb(C2H3O2)4
Molecular Phosphorus tribromide PBr3
Ionic Iron (II) oxide FeO
Molecular Trinitrogen dichloride N3Cl2
Molecular Carbon dioxide CO2