{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"articleState":{"article":{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T21:47:04+00:00","modifiedTime":"2021-07-14T20:10:49+00:00","timestamp":"2022-09-14T18:18:25+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Academics & The Arts","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33662"},"slug":"academics-the-arts","categoryId":33662},{"name":"Science","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33756"},"slug":"science","categoryId":33756},{"name":"Chemistry","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33762"},"slug":"chemistry","categoryId":33762}],"title":"How to Name Binary Covalent Compounds","strippedTitle":"how to name binary covalent compounds","slug":"how-to-name-binary-covalent-compounds","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"A binary covalent compound is a compound made up of only two elements, such as carbon dioxide. Learn how to name these compounds.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Binary covalent compounds are compounds made up of only two elements, such as carbon dioxide. Prefixes are used in the names of binary compounds to indicate the number of atoms of each nonmetal present.\r\n\r\nThe following table lists the most common prefixes for binary covalent compounds.\r\n<table><caption>Common Prefixes for Binary Covalent Compounds</caption>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th>Number of Atoms</th>\r\n<th>Prefix</th>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>1</td>\r\n<td>mono-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>2</td>\r\n<td>di-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>3</td>\r\n<td>tri-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>4</td>\r\n<td>tetra-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>5</td>\r\n<td>penta-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>6</td>\r\n<td>hexa-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>7</td>\r\n<td>hepta-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>8</td>\r\n<td>octa-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>9</td>\r\n<td>nona-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>10</td>\r\n<td>deca-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nIn general, the prefix <i>mono-</i> is rarely used. Carbon monoxide is one of the few compounds that uses this prefix.\r\n\r\nTake a look at the following examples to see how to use the prefixes when naming binary covalent compounds (the prefixes appear in bold). Note that chemists try to avoid putting an <i>a</i> and an <i>o</i> together with the oxide name, as in dec<b>ao</b>xide, so they normally drop the <i>a</i> off the prefix.\r\ncarbon <b>di</b>oxide:\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/168012.image0.png\" alt=\"image0.png\" width=\"32\" height=\"24\" />\r\n\r\n<b>tetra</b>phosphorus <b>dec</b>oxide:\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/168013.image1.png\" alt=\"image1.png\" width=\"38\" height=\"24\" />\r\n\r\nsulfur <b>tri</b>oxide:\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/168014.image2.png\" alt=\"image2.png\" width=\"29\" height=\"24\" />\r\n\r\n<b>di</b>nitrogen <b>tetr</b>oxide:\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/168015.image3.png\" alt=\"image3.png\" width=\"40\" height=\"24\" />\r\n<p class=\"Remember\">This naming system is used only with binary, nonmetal compounds, with one exception. The following compound is commonly called manganese dioxide.</p>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/168016.image4.png\" alt=\"image4.png\" width=\"44\" height=\"24\" />","description":"Binary covalent compounds are compounds made up of only two elements, such as carbon dioxide. Prefixes are used in the names of binary compounds to indicate the number of atoms of each nonmetal present.\r\n\r\nThe following table lists the most common prefixes for binary covalent compounds.\r\n<table><caption>Common Prefixes for Binary Covalent Compounds</caption>\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<th>Number of Atoms</th>\r\n<th>Prefix</th>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>1</td>\r\n<td>mono-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>2</td>\r\n<td>di-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>3</td>\r\n<td>tri-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>4</td>\r\n<td>tetra-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>5</td>\r\n<td>penta-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>6</td>\r\n<td>hexa-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>7</td>\r\n<td>hepta-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>8</td>\r\n<td>octa-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>9</td>\r\n<td>nona-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td>10</td>\r\n<td>deca-</td>\r\n</tr>\r\n</tbody>\r\n</table>\r\nIn general, the prefix <i>mono-</i> is rarely used. Carbon monoxide is one of the few compounds that uses this prefix.\r\n\r\nTake a look at the following examples to see how to use the prefixes when naming binary covalent compounds (the prefixes appear in bold). Note that chemists try to avoid putting an <i>a</i> and an <i>o</i> together with the oxide name, as in dec<b>ao</b>xide, so they normally drop the <i>a</i> off the prefix.\r\ncarbon <b>di</b>oxide:\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/168012.image0.png\" alt=\"image0.png\" width=\"32\" height=\"24\" />\r\n\r\n<b>tetra</b>phosphorus <b>dec</b>oxide:\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/168013.image1.png\" alt=\"image1.png\" width=\"38\" height=\"24\" />\r\n\r\nsulfur <b>tri</b>oxide:\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/168014.image2.png\" alt=\"image2.png\" width=\"29\" height=\"24\" />\r\n\r\n<b>di</b>nitrogen <b>tetr</b>oxide:\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/168015.image3.png\" alt=\"image3.png\" width=\"40\" height=\"24\" />\r\n<p class=\"Remember\">This naming system is used only with binary, nonmetal compounds, with one exception. The following compound is commonly called manganese dioxide.</p>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/168016.image4.png\" alt=\"image4.png\" width=\"44\" height=\"24\" />","blurb":"","authors":[],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":33762,"title":"Chemistry","slug":"chemistry","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/33762"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":253707,"title":"How to Make Unit Conversions","slug":"make-unit-conversions","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","chemistry"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/253707"}},{"articleId":251836,"title":"How to Convert between Units Using Conversion Factors","slug":"convert-units-using-conversion-factors","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","chemistry"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/251836"}},{"articleId":251010,"title":"How to Build Derived Units from Base Units","slug":"build-derived-units-base-units","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","chemistry"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/251010"}},{"articleId":251005,"title":"How to Do Arithmetic with Significant Figures","slug":"arithmetic-significant-figures","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","chemistry"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/251005"}},{"articleId":250992,"title":"How to Add and Subtract with Exponential Notation","slug":"add-subtract-exponential-notation","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","chemistry"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/250992"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":true,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282434,"slug":"organic-chemistry-i-for-dummies-2nd-edition","isbn":"9781119293378","categoryList":["academics-the-arts","science","chemistry"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119293375/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119293375/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119293375-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119293375/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119293375/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/covers/9781119293378.jpg","width":250,"height":350},"title":"Organic Chemistry I For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"\n <p><p><B><b data-author-id=\"9321\">Arthur Winter</b>, PhD, </b>is the author of the popular <i>Organic Chemistry Help!</i> website chemhelper.com and <i>Organic Chemistry I For Dummies</i>. 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How to Name Binary Covalent Compounds

Updated: 07-14-2021

Organic Chemistry I For Dummies

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Binary covalent compounds are compounds made up of only two elements, such as carbon dioxide. Prefixes are used in the names of binary compounds to indicate the number of atoms of each nonmetal present.

The following table lists the most common prefixes for binary covalent compounds.

Common Prefixes for Binary Covalent Compounds
Number of Atoms	Prefix
1	mono-
2	di-
3	tri-
4	tetra-
5	penta-
6	hexa-
7	hepta-
8	octa-
9	nona-
10	deca-

In general, the prefix mono- is rarely used. Carbon monoxide is one of the few compounds that uses this prefix.

Take a look at the following examples to see how to use the prefixes when naming binary covalent compounds (the prefixes appear in bold). Note that chemists try to avoid putting an a and an o together with the oxide name, as in decaoxide, so they normally drop the a off the prefix. carbon dioxide:

tetraphosphorus decoxide:

sulfur trioxide:

dinitrogen tetroxide:

This naming system is used only with binary, nonmetal compounds, with one exception. The following compound is commonly called manganese dioxide.

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