Table of Common Molecular Compounds. These compounds are very common and have names that don't follow the usual naming conventions for molecular compounds. They should be memorized.
Name | Formula | Name | Formula |
ammonia | NH3 | methane | CH4 |
carbon dioxide | CO2 | nitrous oxide | N2O |
carbon monoxide | CO | nitric oxide | NO |
hydrazine | N2H4 | sulfur dioxide | SO2 |
hydrogen peroxide | H2O2 | water | H2O |
hydrogen sulfide | H2S | ||
![]() electron acceptor (Cl) meets electron donor (Na) |
electron jumps from Na to Cl![]() |
![]() ions attract to form neutral pair |
![]() an ion pair |
![]() an ion cluster |
![]() an ion crystal |
Molecular compounds | Ionic compounds | |
smallest particles | molecules | cations and anions |
origin of bonding | electron sharing | electron transfer |
forces between particles | strong bonds between atoms weak attractions between molecules |
strong attractions between anions and cations strong repulsions between ions of like charge |
elements present | close on the periodic table | widely separated on the periodic table |
metallic elements present | rarely | usually |
electrical conductivity | poor | good, when melted or dissolved |
state at room temperature | solid, liquid, or gas | solid |
melting and boiling points | lower | higher |
other names | covalent compounds | salts |
Copyright © 1997-2005 by Fred Senese
Comments & questions to fsenese@frostburg.edu
Last Revised 02/23/18.URL: http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/compounds/print-ionicvscovalent.shtml