Which of the following is the correct name for the molecular compound with the formula N_2O_3?

• A. dinitrogen trioxide
• B. dinitrogen pentoxide
• C. nitrogen trioxide
• D. nitrogen dioxide

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify that the compound N_2O_3 is a molecular (covalent) compound composed of two nonmetals: nitrogen and oxygen.
2. Recall the naming rules for molecular compounds: use prefixes to indicate the number of atoms of each element present. The prefixes are: mono- (1), di- (2), tri- (3), tetra- (4), penta- (5), etc.
3. Apply the prefixes to each element in the formula: since there are 2 nitrogen atoms, use 'di-' before nitrogen; since there are 3 oxygen atoms, use 'tri-' before oxide (oxygen).
4. Combine the prefixes with the element names, remembering to change the second element's ending to '-ide'. This gives 'dinitrogen trioxide'.
5. Verify that the name matches the formula N_2O_3 and that no prefixes are omitted or incorrectly applied.