What is the correct name for the molecular compound with the formula B2Cl4?

• A. diboron chloride
• B. boron(IV) chloride
• C. diboron tetrachloride
• D. boron dichloride

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the type of compound based on the elements involved. Since both boron (B) and chlorine (Cl) are nonmetals, this is a molecular (covalent) compound, not an ionic compound.
2. Step 2: Recall the naming rules for molecular compounds: use prefixes to indicate the number of atoms of each element present in the molecule. The prefixes are: mono- (1), di- (2), tri- (3), tetra- (4), etc.
3. Step 3: Apply the prefixes to each element in the formula B2Cl4. For boron, there are 2 atoms, so use 'di-'. For chlorine, there are 4 atoms, so use 'tetra-'.
4. Step 4: Combine the element names with the prefixes, adjusting for pronunciation if necessary. The first element keeps its full name, so 'diboron'. The second element uses the root of chlorine ('chlor') plus the suffix '-ide', resulting in 'tetrachloride'.
5. Step 5: Put it all together to form the correct name: 'diboron tetrachloride'. This follows the standard nomenclature for molecular compounds.