What do you call a compound that contains a metal and an acid anion?

Here's how to work out systematic names for salts.

1. Write the formula for the compound. There are two possible salts you can make from the reaction of oxalic acid with sodium hydroxide: Na₂C₂O₄ and NaHC₂O₄.
2. Name the cations. The first salt contains the sodium cation, Na⁺. The second salt contains sodium cation and hydrogen ion, H⁺.
3. Name the anions. When you know the acid name, you can derive the anion name from it using these simple rules.

   in acid, replace:	with anion ending	examples
   hydro*ic acid	*ide	hydrochloric acid, HCl contains chloride, Cl-
   -ous acid	-ite	nitrous acid, HNO2 contains nitrite ion, NO2-
   -ic acid	-ate	sulfuric acid, H2SO4 contains sulfate, SO42-

   In your case, oxalic acid (H₂C₂O₄) contains oxalate ion (C₂O₄^2-).
4. Name the compounds. Ionic compounds are named by following the cation name with the anion name. Na₂C₂O₄ is "sodium oxalate". NaHC₂O₄ is "sodium hydrogen oxalate".

   Author: Fred Senese senese@antoine.frostburg.edu