Chemistry

Chemical Name Lookup

Select a chemical formula to get its IUPAC name, common name, and molecular weight.

IUPAC / Systematic Name
Common Name
Molecular Weight
Classification

Chemical Nomenclature

Chemical nomenclature is the systematic method of naming chemical compounds. IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) nomenclature provides an unambiguous name for every compound. Common naming rules include: ionic compounds name the cation first then the anion (e.g., sodium chloride); covalent compounds use Greek prefixes (mono-, di-, tri-) to indicate atom counts (e.g., dihydrogen monoxide); acids are named based on the anion (e.g., -ide becomes hydro-...-ic acid, -ate becomes -ic acid, -ite becomes -ous acid). Organic compounds follow IUPAC rules using the longest carbon chain as the parent name, with substituents as prefixes. Understanding chemical names is fundamental for reading literature, identifying reagents, and communicating in chemistry.