Chapter 3

Chemical Compounds
Jons J. Berzelius 1779-1848.
Accurately determined
atomic weights, used in
future Periodic Table.
Originated modern chemical
formulas, including “K” and
“Na” for potassium and sodium.

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Molecules and Molecular Compounds
Molecules and Chemical Formulas
Molecules are assemblies of two or more atoms
bonded together.
Each molecule has a chemical formula.
The chemical formula indicates:
which atoms are found in the molecule, and
in what proportion they are found.
Compounds formed from molecules are
molecular compounds.

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Molecules and Molecular Compounds
Molecular and Empirical Formulas
Molecular formulas
give the actual numbers and types of atoms in a molecule.
Examples:
H2O, CO2, CO, CH4, H2O2, O2, O3, and C2H4.

Empirical formulas
give the relative numbers and types of atoms in a molecule.
That is, they give the lowest whole number ratio of atoms
in a molecule.
Examples: H2O, CO2, CO, CH4, HO, CH2.

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Molecules and Molecular Compounds
Picturing Molecules

Molecules occupy three dimensional space. However, we

often represent them in two dimensions.

The structural formula gives the connectivity between

individual atoms in the molecule.

The structural formula may or may not be used to show

the three dimensional shape of the molecule.

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Molecules and Molecular Compounds
Picturing Molecules

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Different representations of methane (CH4)

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 Ions and Ionic Compounds
When an atom or molecule loses electrons, it becomes
positively charged.
• For example, when Na loses an electron, it becomes Na+.
Positively charged ions are called cations.

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Ions and Ionic Compounds
When an atom or molecule gains electrons, it becomes
negatively charged.
For example when Cl gains an electron it becomes Cl-.
Negatively charged ions are called anions.
An atom or molecule can lose more than one electron.

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 Ions and Ionic Compounds
When an atom or molecule loses two electrons, it
becomes doubly positively charged.
For example, when Mg loses two electrons, it becomes Mg2+

lose 2 e-
12p+ 12 e- 12p+ 10 e-

Mg atom Mg2+ ion

“magnesium atom” “magnesium ion”

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 Ions and Ionic Compounds
When an atom or molecule gains two electrons, it
becomes doubly negatively charged.
For example, when S gains 2 electrons, it becomes S2-

gain 2 e-
16 p+ 16 e- 16p+ 18 e-

S atom S2- ion

“sulfur atom” “sulfide ion”
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Ions and Ionic Compounds
Predicting Ionic Charge
The number of electrons an atom gains or loses is
related to its position on the periodic table.
Metals tend to form cations whereas non-metals tend
to form anions.

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 Ions and Ionic Compounds
What ions do the main group elements (the “A”
elements) form? It depends on their grouping.
Group IA elements (H, Li, Na..) form 1+ ions (H+,Li+, Na+…)
Group IIA elements (Be, Mg, Ca)form 2+ ions (Be2+, Mg2+…)
Group IIIA elements (B, Al, Ga) form 3+ ions (B3+, Al3+, …)
Group VA elements (N, P…) form 3- ions (N3-, P3-)
Group VIA elements (O, S,..) form 2- ions (O2-, S2-…)
Group VIIA elements (F, Cl, Br.) form 1- ions (F-, Cl-, Br-….)
Group VIIIA elements do not form ions.
Neither does Group IVA.

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Ions and Ionic Compounds
Ionic Compounds
The majority of chemistry involves the transfer of
electrons between species.

Example:
To form NaCl, the neutral sodium atom, Na, must lose an
electron to become a cation: Na+

. 11 p+
10 e-
. Na+
11Na
p+
11 e-
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Ions and Ionic Compounds
Ionic Compounds
whereas non-metals tend to form anions.

The electron cannot be lost entirely, so it is transferred to a

.
chlorine atom, Cl, which then becomes an anion: Cl-.
(from Na atom)

Cl Cl-
17 p+ 17 p+
17 e- 18 e-
The Na+ and Cl- ions are attracted to form an ionic NaCl
lattice which crystallizes.
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Ions and Ionic Compounds
Important: note that there are no easily identified NaCl
molecules in the ionic lattice. Therefore, we cannot use
molecular formulas to describe ionic substances.

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Ions and Ionic Compounds
Ionic Compounds
Consider the formation of Mg3N2:
Mg loses two electrons to become Mg2+
Nitrogen gains three electrons to become N3-.
For a neutral species, the number of electrons lost and
gained must be equal.
However, Mg can only lose electrons in twos and N can
only accept electrons in threes.
Therefore, Mg needs to lose 6 electrons (2  3) and N
gain those 6 electrons (3  2).

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Ions and Ionic Compounds
Ionic Compounds
I.e., 3Mg atoms need to form 3Mg2+ ions (total 3x2+
charges) and 2 N atoms need to form 2N3- ions (total
2x3- charges).
Therefore, the formula is Mg3N2.

Mg2+ N3-

Mg3 N 2 MgO
Be careful! what’s the ionic compound formed between
magnesium and oxygen?)
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Naming Inorganic Compounds
Names and Formulas of Ionic Compounds
Naming of compounds, nomenclature, is divided into
organic compounds (those containing C) and inorganic
compounds (the rest of the periodic table)
Cations formed from a metal have the same name
as the metal.
Example: Na+ = sodium ion.

If the metal can form more than one cation, then the
charge is indicated in parentheses in the name.
Examples: Cu+ = copper(I); Cu2+ = copper(II).

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Hydrogen ion H+ Cupric ion Co2+
Lithium ion Li+ Cuprous ion Cu+
Sodium ion Na+ Ferric ion Fe3+
Potassium ion K+ Ferrous ion Fe2+
Silver ion Ag+ Manganous ion Mn2+
Magnesium ion Mg2+ Mercurous ion Hg22+
Calcium ion Ca2+ Mercuric ion Hg2+
Strontium ion Sr2+ Nickelous ion Ni2+
Barium ion Ba2+ Plumbous ion Pb2+
Zinc ion Zn2+ Stannous ion Sn2+
Cadmium ion Cd2+ Stannic ion Sn4+
Aluminum ion Al3+ Chromic ion Cr3+
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Naming Inorganic Compounds
Names and Formulas of Ionic Compounds
Monoatomic anions (with only one atom) are called -ide.
Example: Cl- is chloride ion.
Exceptions: hydroxide (OH-), cyanide (CN-), peroxide (O22-).

Polyatomic anions (with many atoms) containing

oxygen end in -ate or -ite. (The one with more oxygen
is called -ate.)

Examples: NO3- is nitrate, NO2- is nitrite.

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Naming Inorganic Compounds
nitrate NO3- hydroxide OH-
nitrite NO2- phosphate PO43-
carbonate CO32- ammonium NH4+
sulfate SO42- perchlorate ClO4-
sulfite SO32- chlorate ClO3-
cyanide CN - chlorite ClO2-
chromate CrO4-2 hypochlorite ClO -
dichromate Cr2O72- carbonate CO32-
permanganate MnO4-
bicarbonate (or hydrogen carbonate) HCO3- 21
Monoatomic ions
Hydride H - oxide O2-
fluoride F - peroxide O22-
chloride Cl - sulfide S2-
bromide Br - nitride N3-
iodide I -

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Names and Formulas of Binary Molecular Compounds
Binary molecular compounds have two elements.
The most metallic element is usually written first (i.e., the one to the
farthest left on the periodic table). Exception: NH3.
If both elements are in the same group, the lower one is written first.
Greek prefixes are used to indicate the number of atoms.
mono 1 Name: NO2 Nitrogen dioxide
di 2
tri 3 SO3 Sulfur trioxide
tetra 4 Dinitrogen tetroxide
N2O4
penta 5 Diphosphorus pentoxide
hexa 6 P2O5
hepta 7 Carbon tetrachloride
CCl4 Carbon monoxide
octa 8
nona 9 CO Carbon dioxide
deca 10
CO2
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Naming Organic Compounds
Name, formula, bp oC Name, formula, bp oC
Methane CH4 -162 Methyl alcohol CH3OH, 66
Ethane C2H6 -89 Ethyl alcohol C2H5OH, 98
Propane C3H8 -42 Propyl alcohol C3H7OH, 97
Butane C4H10 0 Isopropyl alcohol
Pentane C5H12 36 CH3-CH(OH)-CH3, 82
Hexane C6H14 69 [Propyl alcohol and isopropyl
Heptane C7H16 98 alcohol are isomers]
Octane C8H18 126
Nonane C9H20 151 24