Straight forward naming of inorganic compounds adopting a pattern acceptable by WAEC and IGCSE. Naming of ions, binary compounds, oxo-acids, acids, complex salts, radicals are well simplified for easy understanding.

7. Example
Find the oxidation number of the manganese atom
in potassium tetraoxomanganate (vii), KMnO4.

8. Class activity
Calculate the oxidation number of the underline
elements:
(1) MnO4
-
(2) K2Cr2O7
(3) KClO3
(4) Na
(5) N3-
(6) H2S
(7) NaNO2
(8) FeCl3
(9) N2O

10. (Tetraoxophoshate(v) or
Hydrogen tetraoxophosphate (v))
(Trioxosulphate(iv))
(Diphosphorus(v)oxide)
Binary Compounds

11. IONS
Cations with Fixed
Valencies
Metals with
Variable Valencies
Anions
Ion Name
Na+ sodium ion
Ca2+ calcium ion
Al3+ aluminum
ion
Ion Name
H- Hydride ion
Cl- Chloride ion
Br- Bromide ion
I- Iodide ion
O2- Oxide ion
S2- Sulfide ion
N3- Nitride ion
P3- Phosphide
ion
C4- Carbide ion

12. POLYATOMIC IONS
Number of oxygen + Non-oxygen element + ate +(It’s valency) + ion
P R E F I X + N A M E + S U F F I X
Oxygen Number
Indicators
Exmples with
No Hydrogen
Examples with
Hydrogen
Number of
Oxygen
Prefix
1 monooxo
2 dioxo
3 trioxo
4 tetraoxo
5 heptaoxo
Ion Formula
trioxocarbonate (IV) ion CO3
2−
oxochlorate (I) ion
(hypochlorite ion)
ClO−
dioxochlorate(III)
ion(chlorite ion)
ClO2
−
trioxochlorate(V)
ion(chlorate ion)
ClO3
−
trioxonitrate (V) ion
(nitrate ion)
NO3
-
trioxosulphate (IV) ion
(sulphite ion)
SO3
2-
tetraoxosulphate (VI) ion
(sulphate ion)
SO4
2-
tetraoxomanganate (VII)
ion (permanganate ion)
MnO4
-
Ion Formula
hydrogen
trioxocarbonate
(IV) ion
(bicarbonate
ion)
HCO3
−
hydrogen
tetraoxosulphat
e (VI)
HSO4
-

13. COMPOUNDS
P R E F I X + N A M E + S U F F I X
Ionic Compounds Acids Acidic Salts

14. COVALENT COMPOUNDS, HYDRATED SALTS AND
COMPLEX SALTS
Covalent Compounds Hydrated Salts Complex Salts
Com-
pound
Name
HCl hydrogen chloride
H2S hydrogen sulfide
NF3 nitrogen fluoride
AlCl3 aluminium chloride
SnCl4 tin (IV) chloride
N2O5 dinitrogen (V)oxide*
N2O4 dinitrogen (IV) xide
N2O3 dinitrogen (III) oxide
Formula of
the
Compound
Name of the
compound
CuSO4.5H2O
Copper (II)
tetraoxosulphate
(VI) pentahydrate
FeSO4.7H2O
Iron (II)
tetraoxosulphate
(VI) heptahydrate
Formula Name
K3Fe(CN)6
Potassium hexa
cyano ferrate
(III) ion
Na2Sn(OH)4
Sodium tetra
hydroxo
stannate(II)
NaAlO2
Sodium
dioxoaluminate
(III)
Na2Fe(H2O)6
Sodium hexa
aquo iron(III)
K2Cu(NH3)4
Potassium tetra
ammine copper
(II) ion

15. Practice Questions:
Refer to E-note