Chemical Russian, Self-taught III.
Russian Inorganic Chemical Nomenclature JAMES W. PERRY
Ballistic Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland1 The Russian inorganic chemical nomenclature i s reviewed with particular attention to certain peculiarities which may prove troublesome to English speaking chemists. The Russian nomenclature of the more common, relatively simple, inorganic compounds i s emphasized. Russian authors of chemical papers do not hesitate to use formulas for more unusual, highly complicated compounds, thus obviating the nomenclature problem i n such cases. SOME FUNDAMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
T
-H- and -HCT-, the stems of XJIOPHCT-, are formed.
two adjectives, mopn- and As discussed subsequently these two adjectives are used to indicate different valence states. When Russian adjectives are used in phrases and sentences, inflectional endings are affixed to the stems of the adjectives. Such inflectional endings change according to the case, number and gender of the nouns which the adjectives modify. For example, the above mentioned adjectives take the following forms in the nominative singular.
HE Russians, like ourselves, have special names for certam such as xanoMenb, calomel . compouuds, ' aMmiax, ammonia, etc.; however, the multiplicity of inorganic C0mp0~nd8makes i t impractical to have a special name for each compound. Consequently, the Russians, l i e ourselves, make extensive use of the principle that the name of a compound shall indicate its chemical composition. In deriving the names of compounds from the names of component elements, the Russians use several different grammatical devices. Masculine Feminine Neuter XJIOp& XJlOpXas XJIOPEOe Thus they may use su5xes and prefixes to denote difXJIO~HCT~ XJIO~HCT~S XJIOpHCTOe ferent states of chemical combination similar to our use of sulfurous, sulfate, hyposulfite, bisulfite (derived The case endings, -M%,-an, -oe, have purely gi-ammatifrom the root, sulf-, of the nouu, sulfur). The Russians cal significanceand indicate nothing as to valence states also use compound words corresponding to phosphoSimilarly, the endings of nouns change depending on molybdate, chloroplatinate, etc. The Russians, like the case. The following examples illustrate the singular ourselves, make particularly extensive use of word number of the declension of adjectives and nouns: combinations, e. g., sodium chloride, bicarbonate of Masculine Feminine N&r soda, ferric chloride, perchloric acid. Nom. XjrOpR& XPOM XJIOpEBR Men6 XJIOpHOe OJIOBO The Russians, however, carefully avoid using one Gen. xjropnoro xpom XJIOPHOB Menu XjrODEOM ojrosa noun to modify another, as in "sodium chloride." I n naming this simple compound, the Russians may convert the root word, xnop (chlorine), into an adjective Prep. xjroixmv xp'onre CrCL by affixing a s u f i and a grammatical ending and then using the adjective to modify the nouu, n a ~ p d The grammatical significance of inflectional endings is (sodium). Thus we have X J I O P H G T ~n~ a ~ p d NaC1. , outside the scope of this paper. A n alternate name is the literal equivalent of "chloride Subsequent discussion mentions various chemical of sodium." By transliterating "chloride" into Russian elements, whose Russian names are listed for reference letters we have m o p q . The genitive singular of purposes. Note that, in Russian, the names of the ele~ a ~ p nistnaTpnn. i By combining these two, we have ments may be classified according to their grammatical m o p n ~HaTpns, NaCl. This dual nomenclature sys- gender. tem is used quite extensively by the Russians. Englishmam XPOM speaking chemists probably encounter more difJiculties nrapraueq llam in understanding that branch of the Russian nomenclaD%mE8x Ea'rpnil Feminine ture system which uses suffixes to convert nouns into CBEEeq Mew adjectives, as in xnopnc~& a a ~ p d . CejreleH nnaTm Before undertaking to review such difficulties, it is CTOPTYTL Tam* w a necessary to point out the need for making a careful THT&R cYPdistinction between s u f i e s and inflectional endings. ~opati Neder For example, by affixing to the root, mop, the sufixes, yrnepon
-
1 Present address, Maasschusetta Institute of Technology, Cambridee. Massachusetts.
pop TOP xnop
XejIesO SOJIOTO
onon0 W=~PO
RUSSIAN NOMENCLATURE OF VARIOUS TYPES O F COM-
POUNbS (a) Oxides of Metals. The following examples illustrate Russian usage in naming metal oxides most of which have basic properties.Vote the use of alternate names3 for some of these oxides. x a m MgO omob cepe6pa Am0 Oxecb eaTpus NanO UepeKECh ne~pun NarOz S8KUCb MeXH CU~O OKUCb Mew CUO OKUFh
omcb qxma ZnO omoh & J I A ) ~ RAlzOl ssxacz omsa Sn0 snOI oKncb onom HBYOKKCbOJIOBa
}
cepnacma cBuneq PbS cepnacToe cepebpo Ag2S eepnucTaa Mexb Cups cepean Menb CuS mopacme xeneso FeCL xnopnoe weneao FeCI. X.IIOPECT& ~ a m B TIC1 XJIOPHbdt ~BJlrdr Tpexxnopuc~blit=anma TICL
}
6ponarc~anP T Y T ~ HgBr 6po~nanp ~ y m HgBr* xnopucToe onom nonyxnopacToe onom SnCI, xnopuoeono~o seTbrpexxjropacToe onom SnC1,
}
}
X ~ O P U C T ~cypma K
TpeXXJlOpUCTaKCypbMa XJrOpHaRCYpb~ USlTXXnOpUCTSn CYpbMa
uepe~ucb~ o ~ o p o xHIOl a.
uepexucb mnbqux CaOn
The following generalities are important: (1) The different valence states of the metals in oxides may be denoted by attaching various prefixes to the root, -KEG-. (2) If a metal forms only one oxide of salt forming, basic character, the oxide is termed o ~ n c b . (3) If a metal forms two oxides having basic properties, the lower oxide is termed, sarcncb, and the higher oxide, O K H C ~ . (4) A peroxide is usually termed nepemcb, although the term, AanoKHcb, may be used sometimes. (5) The tern, nenoxncb (suboxide), is rarely udd. (6) In the examples listed above, the nouns, HeAOKHCb, SaKHCb, OKHCb, IlepeKHCb, areUByOKHCb au in the nominative singular case (case ending -b), while the nouns denoting the various metals are all in the genitive singular case. (7) Prefixes derived from numerals, e. g., my-, di(from ma, two) are used by the Russians in much the same way as in our nomenclature system. Further examples illustrating this point will be given in discussing other classes of compounds. (b) Some Typical Salts Consisting of Two Elements. The following examples illustrate typical Russian nomenclature4 of compounds of metals with various electronegative elements. It should be noted that the Ruasian name of each of these compounds consists of an adjective followed by a noun. The noun in each case denotes the metal. Both adjective and noun as listed below are in the nominative, singular case. QITOPHCT& eaqrdr NaF m o p u c ~ & TOPTML ~POMUCTEZ~X K B J l h I W C&Br1 aonecmr&amommu3 AUr cep~ac~ HaTprdr d Naps unTncepHacT& HaTprdr Na& morocepnxc~& xa~prdr Na& mopacme sonoTo AuCl xnopaoe s o n o ~ o AuCl, Various metal oxides which function as acid anhydrides will be discussed after considering the corresponding acids. Various other alternate names will be mentioned subsequently. ' Alternate names for some of these compounds will be discuaeed subsequently.
'
} ShCI, } ShCls
Note the following important generalities: (1) In compounds, which consist of a metal and a single electronegative element, the valence state of the metal may be indicated either by the use of a suffix (-HCTJor -A-) or by a prefix (no~~y-, semi-; O A ~ O - , mono-; n~y-,Bdi-; ~pex-, tri-; qempex-, tetra-; nmu-, penta-) affixed to the adjective denoting the electronegative element. These prefixes (and also moro-, poly-) may also be used in naming compounds, e. g., NazSs NaaS,, which differ with respect to composition but not with respect to the valence state of the metal. (2) When so used, the pair of suffixes -H- and -=elindicate, respectively, the higher and lower valence states of the metal. (3) The suffix -HCT- is used when there is no need to indicate different valence states of the metal (e. g., NaC1, MI3) or when such valence state is indicated by a p r e h (e. g., nmn-, pent*)). This is a very important point and will be referred to again.
(c) Other Compounds Consisting of Two Elements. The following examples further illustrate typical Russian nomenclature involving word combinations consisting of an adjective and a noun. Note, in particular, the frequent use of the suffix,-ECT-,6 to form adjectives from nouns.
( d ) Acids Containing Oxygen. The Russian names of acids containing oxygen consist of the noun,KHGJIoTa Note that the d x . -ucr, is used in the alternate form, -HHCT-, in CepUCT&. 0 An alternate form, xsyx-, is sometimes encountered.
(acid), preceded by an adjective whose suffix may denote the state of oxidation of the acid forming element. The following examples are important and typical although some of the acids are unstable or hypothetical.
. or," more . ~recisely,
1 HaPo,
. ..
.
tives used with KncnoTa and mmnpun are different. The following list includes a few oxides which are not acid anhydrides. Examples of alternate names are included in some cases.
(f) Salts of Oxygen Containing Acids. The Ruasians may use several different methods to name the salts HsVO. of acids containing oxygen. The most important Russian method for deriving the names of such salts, e. g., NazS04,might be considered to consist of the following steps. Starting with the name of the acid (e. g., cepma YrOJlbHanKnOJIOT& H&08 KECJIOT~,H2SOJ the letter -0- is attached to the stem of the adjective used in naming the acid. Thus one obNote the following generalities: (1) The suffixes, -HOB~TECT- ,-HCT- (or -HECT- or tains cepno- to which the stem of the name of the metal is now added, to form, in our example, cepaoaa~pkr-. -OBHCT-), -HOB~T-, and -H- (or, less generally, -OB- or -ee-) are used in that order to denote successively To this is now added a further sufix, which is usually higher states of oxidation of the acid forming element. either -OB- or -ee- if the metal forms only one series of (2) All the members of this series of suffixes are not salts correspondiig to a single valence state. Thus the , required when naming the acids derived from certain stem of an adjective, e. g., c e p ~ o n a ~ p u eis~ -formed. This adjective together with the proper grammatical elements. (3) The name, cepnonaTncTaR K E C J I O T ~ , is often ending is used to modify the noun, corn (salt). Thus used for HaS20salthough, as pointed out in a recently the nominative case of one Russian name for NaaS04 published dictionary (5), it is more logical to refer to is CepHOHaTpEeBafi COJIb. If the metal forms salts corresponding to two different H&Oa as THOCepHaR KECnOTa (thiosulfuric acid). In valence states, the same procedure may be followed this connection note the following: with this difference. The s u f i -OB- (or its equivalent, XETEOHOBan KUCXOTa H a 0 6 -ee-) is not used. Instead the su@x -H- is used to deTeTpaTEOHOBsn KECnOTa H&os note the higher valence state, while -HCT- is used for (4) The prefixes, H a p and nep-, are used in naming the lower valence state. per- acids. The following examples illustrate the names of salts (e) Acid Anhydrides. The suffixes used in naming derived from acids containing oxygen. acids containing oxygen are also used in naming the correspondimg anhydrides. Note, however, that the noun, mrnnpnn, is masculine, while K H C J I O T ~is feminine. Consequently, the idectional endings of adjec' Here the pre*, CEME-,denotes heptsr rather than semi-. ..
BaeaunenanxuicnoTa or, more precisely, ODTO-8&EI&LCUeB%a KaCJIOTa
It should be noted that the procedure described above is not followed in full detail in naming certain salts. Thus, for example:
Russian authors sometimes use numerals (either Arabic or Roman) to designate diflerent valence states of metals. This simple, unambiguous method of designating valence states has been proposed for official adoption ( I ) . oxacb xenesa (2) FeO o~mb x e ~ ~ e s(3) a FesOt O K H C menesa ~ (2.3) FeaO. saoTnoKncnoe xemso (2) Fe(NO& aso~ao~nonoe meneso (3) Fe(N08)r
Care should be used in distinguishingthe above mentioned adjectives, used in naming salts, from compound nouns of the following type. yrnenonopon hydrocarbon ymneson carbohydrate @eppoxpom ferrochrome CeDOBOnODOX HB
(g) Alternate Russian Nomenclature. The preceding discussion has reviewed the Russian nomenclature commonly used for some of the most important classes of inorganic compounds. It should be pointed out, however, that the Russians may use alternate methods for naming inorganic compounds. One alternate method for naming NazSOl or similar salts of acids containing oxwen. " - . starts with the name of the acid, e. g., ceprras KncnoTa, H2S04. As before, the letter -0- is attached to the stem of the adjective used in naming the adjective, e. g., cepao-. TO this the root xnc- and the letter -n- are added to form cepaox~cn-. This is the stem of an adjective which is used to modify the name of the metal contained in the salt. Thus we have c e p a o ~ n c da a ~ p d Na2S04. , Note also the following additional examples:
A widely used and consequently important alternate method for naming salts is similar in some respects to our own nomenclature. The following examples illustrate this point. Note that the Russian names of the acid radicals might be regarded as transliterations of the corresponding English terms.
-
Another method occasionally used for naming salts is to construct a phrase consisting of (1) an adjective used to name the acid involved, (2) the word, cmb (salt), and (3) the genitive case of the name of the metal oxide from which the salt may be considered to be derived.
Similarly: Kap6EX HaJlbRUH C~LCI Mg8Ns
FDXTPUX m n n n
Similarly derived alternate names may be encountered at times, as illustrated by the following examples, whose further discussion does not appear profitable.
Alternate names for simple inorganic acids are rarely encountered. m ~ p n ~ n aKncxoTa n HNOl HaTDaTnanKACJIOTa HNOl
(h) Complex Compounds of the Werner Type. As a rule, Russian chemists prefer to use formulas to designate complex compounds of the Werner type; however, names may be used at times as illustrated below. Note that there is a pronounced tendency for the Russians to adopt foreign nomenclature when naming this type of compound.
The closely related thiocyanogen derivatives are named similarly. pouau (CNS)% (Cf. German Rhodan) poxamnonopox HCNS p o u a n u c ~ dn a ~ p & NaCNS ponanucToe ltieneso Fe(CNS), poxamme ltieneao Fe(CNS)s
The naming of ammonia and ammonium compounds should also be noted carefully. a-ax NH,, also, loosely, for aqueoua ammonia ruuoaT oxacuamouun NHlOH a m m & NH, a m o a u e B d uon NHI+ xnopncT& aMMomi% NHdCI
}
(i) Miscellaneous Inorganic Compounds. A number of im~ortantcom~oundsawait mention. Note the distinction between 'cornan xncno~a Hydrochloric acid (Literally "salt acid"; cf., German Sakshure) XJIOpUCTd BOXOpOX HCI mopononopon o ~ o p n c ~ o ~ o u o pKuonoTa ox~a~
}
The adjective, a~naaa-, is also used, particularly in referring either to ammonia-containing compositions or to devices for handling ammonia. ammawax noua ammonia water amma-& XaTeKC ammoniated latex amaswrtt ~oaarpeccop ilmmonia compressor a m a m & c~py66ep ammonia scrubber
The following nitrogen containing compounds are closely related to ammonia:
$TO~OBOXO~OXE~~~MCJ~OT~ ~ T O P U C TBOUOpOX ~
~~oposoxopou ~ P O M ~ ~ T O B ~ X ~ P ~mPcWnRo ~ a
Hydrobromic acid
runpoKcnnamn NH20H c y n ~ $ aruupoKcuJraMHna ~ cep~oKUcnb1ftPUXpOKCUnaMilE
} (NHzOH)a.H8Oa
~ ~ O M O B O X O ~ O X H ~ ~ K H C ~ O T ~
X J ~ ~ ~ U C T O B O X O ~ O X H~ & UUPOKCU~~MUH
6 p o m c ~ & BoXOpoU HBr 6po~o~oxopou ~OXUCTOBOUOpOU~&R KUCJIOTa UOUOBOXOpOXH&RKUCjIOT~ n o m c ~ soxopox d
connnaKuonbIi3 rUXpOKCUJlaMUU rnxpasm ( N H h r a n p a ~runpaauna ( N H ~ ) ~ . H z O ~ S O T U C T O B O J ~ O ~ KO U ~ ~C KT O ~ ~ HN8 aaa~oeonoponnanK U C ~ O T ~
)
)
UOXOBOnOpOx
The Russian nomenclature for compounds related to cyanogen is based on the word, cmepon, which literally means "blue former" ( c m d , blue). In forming names of compounds related to cyanogen, the term, cmepon, is used in much the same way as the name of an element. Note the following:
)
cmepOx (CN)I wan mopueT& cmepou ClCN cmepomcmii n a ~ p & NaCN cmtepomcToe cepe6po 4gCN cnnepoxucme x e n e ~ o Fe(CN)* cnnepoxnoe xeneao Fe(CNIa CUHepOXUCTbllt BOXOPOU n u a e u c ~ x u~onopou CEH~~OXBOXO~OU C U A U J I ~ A B ~ KUCJIOTB R
)
UUaEIUCTOBOXOpOUHa~KUCnOTa Hydrocyanic acid cHaepowcTm mcnoTa HCNO ~ B ~ O B BxRa c m ~ a
}
Hydrates of metal oxides may be named in various ways, for example: FULlpOOKUCb
I
"xnan oxucu OmC6 ~ B H K B Zn(OH)n ranpa= ruupaT mUpaT samcu soJroTa AuOH ruxpaToxacusonoTa Au(0H)r The Russian names of acid salts may be formed (1) by using the adjective RH&, (2) by prefixes or adjectives derived from numerals,or (3) by names corresponding to the English "bisulfate of sodium" or the like. x n c n d c e p n o ~ ~ nrt~paft cd NaHS~I 6 u c y m + a ~HaTpUR K E I C J I M ~yi-ne~ucnblltnmp& xnyyrnemcnsri2 emp& /NaHC03 6 s m a p 6 0 ~ au~a ~ p u n +oc@opnoomona~pueeancon6 nepsu~ u c QIocQIop~omcn&ua~p& d O P T O ~ O C ~u~a T~ p u n n e ~ s n s e s ~~ucnbrtf b
Sometimes 81.80 termed XJrOPUCToBOJmPXUan KuCJIoTa or x . n o p o s a ~ a p o uKUcJraTa. ~~ A commonly used name is m a s a ~ o s a nKacXoTa.
In this note that various numerical prefixes and the adjectives o p e w d and ~ o p ~ a ~ r bare &
sometimes used to avoid possible ambiguity when speaking of neutral salts.
For example, the adjective, mop&, cannot be translated by any single English word. This is true of other, similarly derived adjectives, as is illustrated by the following examples:
The adjective, o m o ~ ~ o tmay i , ~ be ~ used in naming basic salts. ocrroaam +oc+opao-menesnax cons basic ferric phosphate OCUOBH~Ey r n e c ~ m ~ o ~cons u~~m basic lead carbonate oogos~anasoman COnb OKHCU p ~ y ~ e basic mercuric nitrate
Note the use of ypamn (uranyl); ammonun, c ~ ~ l 6 1 l(ant'monyl); n B H C M ~ T(bismuthyl), ~ etc., in naming certain salts.
The adjective, p o k o t i (double, binary), may be used in referring to double salts. potiHan cepaomewsacToamo~uena~ wnb FeSOc (NH,),SO,~GH,O u yxcycnopotiHaa COnb yxcycuo~acJroro'~pamna xacnoro HaTpun U0,(CnH80n)r.2NaC~H80~
The following names of thio acids and their salts illustrate the willingness of Russians to combine Russian and foreign roots in the same word.
The names of the following compounds are closely r e lated to the names of component elements and radicals.
SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES
(a) A Point Requiring Special Attention. In translating chemical Russian special attention must be given to adjectives derived from nouns denoting electronegative elements. Such adjectives require different translations depending on the nouns which they modify.
These examples also illustrate the fact that certain adjectives with suffix -UCT-, e. g., XJIOPECTM~~,may be used (1) to name a salt containing a metal, e. g., Cu, in a lower valence state, as in CuCl, or (2) to name salts of metals existing in only one valence state, e. g., Al. However, adjectives formed with the -HCT- SU& may be used sometimes in naming a salt containing a metal in its higher valence state, provided the higher valence state is thought of as being the more common or usual valence state of the metal when functioning as a cation in salts. A similar irregularity in usage occurs when O K H C ~is used, without further qualification, in naming the lower member of a pair of salt-forming, metal oxides. The following examples are typical:
S i c e loose usage of this sort sometimes occurs, some Russian authors prefer to use numerals, or prefixes derived from numerals, to avoid all chance of ambiguity. Thus, CuCl may be termed omomopucTarr MeHb, Or UojIyXJIOpHCTaSI Menb, SnCll sempexxnopmmoe OJIOBO (orno-, mono-; nony-, semi-; neTupex- tetra-), while SnO may be designated O K H C ~O J I O B ~(2).
(b) Proposals for Reforming the Russian Inorganic Chemical Nomenclature. Russian chemists are not entirely satisfied with the methods used in Russian to name inorganic compounds. Various proposals (1, 2) have been made for reforming Russian inorganic chemical nomenclature so as to eliminate possihiliries of misunderstanding and ambiwity. These proposals will not be reviewed in this paper. (c) Russian Trivial Names for Some Important Inorganic Compounds. The following list of Russian trivial names of inorganic compounds is intended to be helpful rather than complete. Very few Russian names of minerals are given, as transliteration usually suffices to render such names easily recognizable. Russian trivial names for a few important organic compounds are also included.
lo The feminine, nominative singular ending of certain Russian adjectives is -EX. 1' The masculine, nominative sinanlar of certain Russian adjectives ends in a&. la The adjective, yncyeno~ucnsri%, is derived from y ~ c y c ~ a n '8 The instability of H g 8 offera some logical babssis for the use of cepmcmn p ~ y for ~ bHgS. xacnma, acetic acid
6 e p n a n c ~ anasypb ~ 6 e p ~ o n e ~ cons o~a 6nrtropo@ ras
a uwus ammonia
alabaster cf., 3nCOXCK&RCOnb white vitriol, ZnS04.7H20 white arsenic. AsrOr Prussian blue Berthelot's salt, KC108 noble gas, i. e., He group gas no'ble metal marsh gas, CHI
N%.CI ~ i & dlime, CaO tin salt, SuCI2.2H,O tin stone, SnOn hydroflnoric acid cooking salt. NaCl prussi&id; aqueous HCN Prussian blue tartar emetic rare earth metal thiocyanogen sugar of lead, Pb(C&On)r saltpetre HNOs (cf. German
borax
hydrated lime. Ca(OH)rI siaked lime, Ca(OH), Glsuber's salt, Ns,SO,.lOH1O alumina cf.. 3nC?XCK&RCOX6 magnosla fulminate of mercury mixture of 2H1 and 0 2 wood alcohol, CH.OH charcoal Ca(OH)* NH,OH Ba(OH)* LiOII NaOH KOH Javells water, aqueous hypochlorite solution iron vitriol, FeSOr7H10 K
