1

Table IR-8.1 Acceptable common names and fully systematic (additive) names for oxoacid and related structures. (March 2004)

n s
This Table includes compounds containing oxygen and hydrogen and at least one other element and with at least one OH group; certain isomers; and examples

i o
at
of corresponding partially and fully dehydronated anions. Formulae are given in the classical oxoacid format with the 'acid' (oxygen-bound) hydrogens listed
first, followed by the central atom(s), then the hydrogen atoms bound directly to the central atom, and then the oxygen atoms (e.g. HBH2O, H2P2H2O5), except

n d
for chain compounds such as e.g. HOCN. In most cases formulae are also written as for coordination entities, assembled according to the principles of Chapter
IR-7 (e.g. the Table gives 'HBH2O = [BH2(OH)]' and 'H2SO4 = [SO2(OH)2]'). More names of oxoanions are given in Table IX.

me
Note that Section P-42 of Ref. 1 lists a great many inorganic oxoacid structures for use as parent structures in the naming of organic derivatives, cf. the
discussion in Section IR-8.1. Most of those structures, but not all, are included here; a number of di- and polynuclear acids are not explicitly included.

om
Formula Common name
(unless otherwise stated) c
Fully systematic additive name(s)

e
H3BO3 = [B(OH)3] boric acid a
l R
trihydroxidoboron
H2BO3− = [BO(OH)2]−
HBO32− = [BO2(OH)]2−
dihydrogenborate

n a dihydroxidooxidoborate(1−)

io
hydrogenborate hydroxidodioxidoborate(2−)
[BO3]3−
s
borate trioxidoborate(3−)
(HBO2)n = (B(OH)O)n
(BO2−)n = (OBO)n n− v
metaboric acid
i catena-poly[hydroxidoboron-µ-oxido]

H2BHO2 = [BH(OH)2]
r o
metaborate
boronic acid
catena-poly[(oxidoborate-µ-oxido)(1−)]
hydridodihydroxidoboron
HBH2O = [BH2(OH)]
Pborinic acid dihydridohydroxidoboron

H2CO3 = [CO(OH)2]
AC carbonic acid dihydroxidooxidocarbon
HCO3− = [CO2(OH)]−
[CO3]2−
U P hydrogencarbonate
carbonate
hydroxidodioxidocarbonate(1−)
trioxidocarbonate(2−)
HOCN = [C(N)OH]
HNCO = [C(NH)O]
I cyanic acid
isocyanic acid
hydroxidonitridocarbon
oxidoazanediidocarbon, (hydridonitrato)oxidocarbon

Page 1 of 8 DRAFT 2 April 2004

 2
OCN− = [C(N)O]− cyanate nitridooxidocarbonate(1−)
HONC = [N(C)OH] (iso)fulminic acid b carbidohydroxidonitrogen

n s
HCNO = [C(H)NO] (iso)fulminic acid,

i o
at
formonitrile-N-oxide b hydridonitrosyl-κN-carbon, hydrido(oxidonitrato-N)carbon
ONC− = [N(C)O]− fulminate carbidooxidonitrate(1−)

n d
H4SiO4 = [Si(OH)4]
[SiO4]4−
(H2SiO3)n = (Si(OH)2O)n
silicic acid a
silicate
metasilicic acid
e
tetrahydroxidosilicon
tetraoxidosilicate(4−)

m
catena-poly[dihydroxidosilicon-µ-oxido]
(SiO3)n 2n− metasilicate
m
catena-poly[dioxidosilicate-µ-oxido(1−)]

o
H2Si2O7 = [(HO)Si(O)2OSi(O)2(OH)]
[Si2O7]6− = [O3SiOSiO3]6−
disilicic acid c
disilicate
e c
µ-oxido-bis(hydroxidodioxidosilicon)
µ-oxido-bis(trioxidosilicate)(6−)

H2NO3+ = [NO(OH)2]+ d
l R
dihydroxidooxidonitrogen(1+), trihydrogen(trioxidonitrate)(1+)
HNO3 = [NO2(OH)]
[NO3]−
nitric acid
n a hydroxidodioxidonitrogen

io
nitrate trioxidonitrate(1-)
H2NHO = [NH2OH]
H2NHO3 = [NHO(OH)2]
hydroxylamine e
azonic acid
v i s dihydridohydroxidonitrogen
hydridodihydroxidooxidonitrogen
HNO2 = [NO(OH)]
[NO2]−
r o
nitrous acid
nitrite
hydroxidooxidonitrogen
dioxidonitrate(1−)
HNH2O2 = [NH2O(OH)]
P
azinic acid dihydridohydroxidooxidonitrogen
H2N2O2 = [HON=NOH]

AC diazenediol f dihydroxido-1κO,2κO-dinitrogen(N_N), or
1,4-dihydrido-2,3-diazy-1,4-dioxy-[4]catena
HN2O2− = [HON=NO]−

U P 2-hydroxydiazene-1-olate f hydroxido-1κO-oxido-2κO-dinitrate(N_N)(1−), or

I
[N2O2]2− = [ON=NO]2− diazenediolate f
1-hydrido-2,3-diazy-1,4-dioxy-[4]catenate(1−)
dioxido-1κO, 2κO-dinitrate(N_N)(2−), or

DRAFT 2 April 2004 Page 2 of 8

 3
2,3-diazy-1,4-dioxy-[4]catenate(2−)

H3PO4 = [PO(OH)3] phosphoric acid a trihydroxidooxidophosphorus

n s
H2PO4− = [PO2(OH)2]−
i o
at
dihydrogenphosphate dihydroxidodioxidophosphate(1−)
2 −
HPO4 = [PO3(OH)] 2 − hydrogenphosphate hydroxidotrioxidophosphate(2−)
[PO4]3− phosphate
phosphonic acid g d
tetraoxidophosphate(3−)

n
e
H2PHO3 = [PHO(OH)2] hydridodihydroxidooxidophosphorus
[PHO2(OH)]− hydrogenphosphonate hydridohydroxidodioxidophosphate(1−)
[PHO3] 2 −
H3PO3 = [P(OH)3]
phosphonate
phosphorous acid g
m
hydridotrioxidophosphate(2−)

m
trihydroxidophosphorus
H2PO3− = [PO(OH)2]−
HPO32− = [PO2(OH)]2−
dihydrogenphosphite
c o
dihydroxidooxidophosphate(1−)

[PO3] 3 −
hydrogenphosphite
phosphite
R e
hydroxidodioxidophosphate(2−)
trioxidophosphate(3−)
HPO2 = [P(O)OH]
HPO2 = [P(H)O2]
hydroxyphosphanone h
λ5-phosphanedione h
a l hydroxidooxidophosphorus
hydroxidooxidophosphorus
H2PHO2 = [PH(OH)2] phosphonous acid

io n hydridodihydroxidophosphorus
HPH2O2 = [PH2O(OH)]
HPH2O = [PH2(OH)]
phosphinic acid

v
phosphinous acid
i s dihydridohydroxidooxidophosphorus
dihydridohydroxidophosphorus
H4P2O7 = [(HO)2P(O)OP(O)(OH)2]
(HPO3)n = (P(O)(OH)O)n
r o
diphosphoric acid c
metaphosphoric acid
µ-oxido-bis(dihydroxidooxidophosphorus)
catena-poly[hydroxidooxidophosphorus-µ-oxido]
H4P2O6 = [(HO)2P(O)P(O)(OH)2]
P
hypodiphosphoric acid bis[dihydroxidooxidophosphorus](P_P)

AC
H2P2H2O5 = [(HO)P(H)(O)OP(H)(O)(OH)]
diphosphonic acid µ-oxido-bis(hydridohydroxidooxidophosphorus)

U P
P2H2O52− = [O2P(H)OP(H)(O)2]2− diphosphonate µ-oxido-bis(hydridodioxidophosphate)(2−)

I
H 3P 3O 9 cyclo-triphosphoric acid tri-µ-oxido-tris[hydroxidooxidophosphorus], or
2,4,6-trihydroxido-2,4,6-trioxido-1,3,5-trioxy-2,4,6-triphosphy-[6]cycle
H5P3O10 catena-triphosphoric acid, pentahydroxido-1κ2O,2κO,3κ2O-di-µ-oxido-trioxido-

Page 3 of 8 DRAFT 2 April 2004

 4
triphosphoric acid c 1κO,2κO,3κO-triphosphorus, or
µ-[hydroxidotrioxidophosphato(2−)-1κO,2κO]-

n s
bis(dihydroxidooxidophosphorus), or

i o
at
1,7-dihydrido-2,4,6-trihydroxido-2,4,6-trioxido-
1,3,5,7-tetraoxy-2,4,6-triphosphy-[7]catena
H3AsO4 = [AsO(OH)3] arsenic acid, arsoric acid i
d
trihydroxidooxidoarsenic

n
H2AsHO3 = [AsHO(OH)2]
H3AsO3 = [As(OH)3]
H2AsHO2 = [AsH(OH)2]
arsonic acid
arsenous acid, arsorous acid i
arsonous acid
e
hydridodihydroxidooxidoarsenic
trihydroxidoarsenic

m
hydridodihydroxidoarsenic
HAsH2O2 = [AsH2O(OH)] arsinic acid
m
dihydridohydroxidooxidoarsenic

o
HAsH2O = [AsH2(OH)] arsinous acid
c
dihydridohydroxidoarsenic

e
H3SbO4 = [SbO(OH)3]
H3SbO3 = [Sb(OH)3]
antimonic acid, stiboric acid i
antimonous acid, stiborous acid i
l R
trihydroxidooxidoantimony
trihydroxidoantimony
H2SbHO3 = [SbHO(OH)2] stibonic acid
n a hydridodihydroxidooxidoantimony

io
H2SbHO2 = [SbH(OH)2] stibonous acid hydridodihydroxidoantimony
HSbH2O2 = [SbH2O(OH)]
HSbH2O = [SbH2(OH)]
stibinic acid

v i
stibinous acid s dihydridohydroxidooxidoantimony
dihydridohydroxidoantimony

H3SO4+ = [SO(OH)3]+ d
r o
P
trihydroxidooxidosulfur(1+), trihydrogen(tetraoxidosulfate)(1+)
H2SO4 = [SO2(OH)2] sulfuric acid dihydroxidodioxidosulfur
HSO4− = [SO3(OH)]−
[SO4]2−
AC hydrogensulfate
sulfate
hydroxidotrioxidosulfate(1−)
tetraoxidosulfate(2−)
HSHO3 = [SHO2(OH)]

U P sulfonic acid j hydridohydroxidodioxidosulfur

I
H2SO3 = [SO(OH)2]
HSO3− = [SO2(OH)]−
sulfurous acid
hydrogensulfite
dihydroxidooxidosulfur
hydroxidodioxidosulfate(1−)

DRAFT 2 April 2004 Page 4 of 8

 5
[SO3]2− sulfite trioxidosulfate(2−)
HSHO2 = [SHO(OH)] sulfinic acid j
sulfanediol k
hydridohydroxidooxidosulfur

n s
H2SO2 = [S(OH)2] dihydroxidosulfur

i o
at
[SO2]2− sulfanediolate k dioxidosulfate(2−)
HSOH = [SH(OH)] sulfanol k hydridohydroxidosulfur
HSO− = [SHO]− sulfanolate k
d
hydridooxidosulfate(1−)

n
H2S2O7 = [(HO)S(O)2OS(O)2(OH)]
[S2O7]2− = [(O)3SOS(O)3]2−
H2S2O6 = [(HO)(O)2SS(O)2(OH)]
disulfuric acid c
disulfate
dithionic acid c,l
e
µ-oxido-bis(hydroxidodioxidosulfur)
µ-oxido-bis(trioxidosulfate)(2−)

m
bis(hydroxidodioxidosulfur)(S_S), or

[S2O6]2− = [O3SSO3]2−
om
1,4-dihydrido-2,2,3,3-tetraoxido-1,4-dioxy-2,3-disulfy-[4]catena
bis(trioxidosulfate)(S_S)(2−), or
dithionate

e c
2,2,3,3-tetraoxido-1,4-dioxy-2,3-disulfy-[4]catenate(2−)
H2S3O6 = [(HO)(O)2SSS(O)2(OH)]
H2S4O6 = [(HO)(O)2SSSS(O)2(OH)]
trithionic acid c,m
tetrathionic acid c,m
l R
1,5-dihydrido-2,2,4,4-tetraoxido-1,5-dioxy-2,3,4-trisulfy-[5]catena
1,6-dihydrido-2,2,5,5-tetraoxido-1,6-dioxy-2,3,4,5-tetrasulfy-[6]catena
H2S2O5 = [(HO)(O)2SS(O)OH]
[S2O5]2− = [O(O)2SS(O)O]2−
disulfurous acid n
n a dihydroxido-1κO,2κO-trioxido-1κ2O,2κO-disulfur(S_S)

io
disulfite n pentaoxido-1κ3O,2κ2O-disulfate(S_S)(2−)
bis(hydroxidooxidosulfur)(S_S), or
H2S2O4 = [(HO)(O)SS(O)(OH)]

v i s
dithionous acid c,l
1,4-dihydrido-2,3-dioxido-1,4-dioxy-2,3-disulfy-[4]catena
[S2O4]2− = [O2SSO2]2−
o
dithionite

r
bis(dioxidosulfate)(S_S)(2−), or

P
2,3-dioxido-1,4-dioxy-2,3-disulfy-[4]catenate(2−)

H2SeO4 = [SeO2(OH)2]
[SeO4]2−
AC selenic acid
selenate
dihydroxidodioxidoselenium
tetraoxidoselenate(2−)

U P
H2SeO3 = [SeHO2(OH)] o selenonic acid j,o hydridohydroxidodioxidoselenium

[SeO3]2− I
H2SeO3 = [SeO(OH)2] o selenous acid o
selenite
dihydroxidooxidoselenium
trioxidoselenate(2−)

Page 5 of 8 DRAFT 2 April 2004

 6
HSeHO2 = [SeHO(OH)] seleninic acid j hydridohydroxidooxidoselenium

orthotelluric acid a
n s
H6TeO6 = [Te(OH)6] hexahydroxidotellurium

i o
at
[TeO6]6− orthotellurate a hexaoxidotellurate(6−)
H2TeO4 = [TeO2(OH)2] telluric acid a dihydroxidodioxidotellurium
[TeO4]2− tellurate a
d
tetraoxidotellurate(2−)

n
H2TeO3 = [TeO(OH)2]
HTeHO3 = [TeHO2(OH)]
HTeHO2 = [TeHO(OH)]
tellurous acid
telluronic acid j
tellurinic acid j
e
dihydroxidooxidotellurium
hydridohydroxidodioxidotellurium

m
hydridohydroxidooxidotellurium

om
HClO4 = [ClO3(OH)]
[ClO4]−
perchloric acid
perchlorate
e c
hydroxidotrioxidochlorine
tetraoxidochlorate(1−)
HClO3 = [ClO2(OH)]
[ClO3]−
chloric acid
chlorate
l R
hydroxidodioxidochlorine
trioxidochlorate(1−)
HClO2 = [ClO(OH)]
[ClO2]−
chlorous acid
n a hydroxidooxidochlorine

io
chlorite dioxidochlorate(1−)
HClO = [ClOH]
[ClO]− hypochlorite
v i s
hypochlorous acid hydroxidochlorine
oxidochlorate(1−)

r o
P
HBrO4 = [BrO3(OH)] perbromic acid hydroxidotrioxidobromine
[BrO4]− perbromate tetraoxidobromate(1−)
HBrO3 = [BrO2(OH)]
[BrO3]−
AC bromic acid
bromate
hydroxidodioxidobromine
trioxidobromate(1−)
HBrO2 = [BrO(OH)]
[BrO2]−
U P bromous acid hydroxidooxidobromine

HBrO = [BrOH] I bromite

hypobromous acid
dioxidobromate(1−)
hydroxidobromine

DRAFT 2 April 2004 Page 6 of 8

 7
[BrO]− hypobromite oxidobromate(1−)

orthoperiodic acid a
n s
o
H5IO6 = [IO(OH)5] pentahydroxidooxidoiodine
[IO6]5−
HIO4 = [IO3(OH)]
orthoperiodate a
periodic acid a
hexaoxidoiodate(5−)
hydroxidotrioxidoiodine
ati
[IO4]− periodate a tetraoxidoiodate(1−)

n d
HIO3 = [IO2(OH)]
[IO3] −
HIO2 = [IO(OH)]
iodic acid
iodate
iodous acid
trioxidoiodate(1−)

me
hydroxidodioxidoiodine

hydroxidooxidoiodine
[IO2]− iodite
m
dioxidoiodate(1−)

o
HIO = [IOH]
[IO]−
hypoiodous acid
hypoiodite
e c
hydroxidoiodine
oxidoiodate(1−)

l R
a The prefix 'ortho' has not been used consistently in the past (including in Chapter I-9 of Ref. 1). Here, it has been removed in the cases of boric acid, silicic acid

n a
and phosphoric acid where there is no ambiguity in the names without 'ortho'. The only cases where 'ortho' distinguishes between two different compounds are

io
the telluric and periodic acids (and corresponding anions).

v i s
b The names 'fulminic acid' and 'isofulminic acid' have been used inconsistently in the past. The compound originally named fulminic acid is HCNO, which is

not an oxoacid, while the esters usually called 'fulminates' in organic chemistry are RONC, corresponding to the oxoacid HONC. The name 'formonitrile-N-

r o
oxide' and the additive names in the right hand column specify the structures unambiguously. (See also Table IX under entries for CHNO and CNO).
c The oligomeric series can be continued, e.g. diphosphoric acid, triphosphoric acid, etc.; dithionic acid, trithionic acid, tetrathionic acid, etc.; dithionous,

trithionous, etc. P
AC
d The names 'nitric acidium', 'sulfuric acidium', etc. for the hydronated acids represent a hybrid of several nomenclatures and are difficult to translate into certain

languages. They are no longer recommended.

P
e The substitutive name would be 'azanol'. However, for preferred names for certain organic derivatives, NH2OH itself is regarded as a parent with the name

U
I
'hydroxylamine'. See Ref. 1, Section P-68.3.1.1.

Page 7 of 8 DRAFT 2 April 2004

 8
f These are fully systematic substitutive names. The traditional names 'hyponitrous acid' and 'hyponitrite' are not recommended; the systematics otherwise

adhered to for use of the prefix 'hypo' would have prescribed 'hypodinitrous' and 'hypodinitrite'.
g The name 'phosphorous acid' and the formula H3PO3 have been used in the literature for both [P(OH)3] and [PHO(OH)2]. The present choice of names for
n s
i o
at
these two structures is in accord with the parent names given in Sections P-42.3 and P-42.4 of Ref. 1.
h These are substitutive names. The situation is similar to that described in footnote g, but no 'acid' names are commonly used for the two isomers of HPO2.

d
i The names 'arsoric', 'arsorous', 'stiboric' and 'stiborous' are included because they are used as parent names in Ref. 1 (Section P-42.4).

n
e
j Caution is needed if using the names 'sulfonic acid', 'sulfinic acid', 'selenonic acid', etc. for these compounds. Substitutive nomenclature prescribes using
substitution into parent hydrides rather than into the acids when naming corresponding functional derivatives, e.g. 'trisulfanedisulfonic acid' (not

etc., not HS(O)<, HS(O)−, etc.

m m
'trisulfanediyl...'), cf. footnote m; 'methaneseleninic acid' (not methyl-'); etc. Note that the substituent groups 'sulfonyl', 'sulfinyl', etc., are −S(O)2−, −S(O)−,

c o
k These are fully systematic substitutive names. Names based on the traditional names 'sulfoxylic acid' for S(OH)2 and 'sulfenic acid' for HSOH, and indeed

these names themselves, are no longer recommended.

R e
l Systematic use of the prefix 'hypo' would give the names 'hypodisulfuric acid' for dithionic acid and 'hypodisulfurous acid ' for dithionous acid.

l
m The homologues trithionic acid, tetrathionic acid, etc., may be alternatively named by substitutive nomenclature as 'sulfanedisulfonic acid', 'disulfanedisulfonic

a
acid', etc.

io n
n This common name presents a problem because the unsymmetrical structure is not the structure which would otherwise be associated with the 'diacid'

v i s
construction ('disulfurous acid' would systematically be [HO(O)SOS(O)OH]). The use of an additive name eliminates this potential confusion, but the problem
with the use of 'disulfurous acid' as a parent name persists in the naming of organic derivatives.

o
o The formula H2SeO3 has been used in the literature for both selenonic acid and selenous acid. The present choice of names for the two structures shown is in

r
P
accord with the parent names given in Sections P-42.1 and P-42.4 of Ref. 1.

AC
U P
I
DRAFT 2 April 2004 Page 8 of 8