Dinitrogen pentoxide naming

Finally, the idea of the coupling between nucleophilic attack and proton transfer in the reaetions just discussed provides an interpretive framework for another important atmospheric reaction, namely the hydrolysis of dinitrogen pentoxide N2O5, thought to play an important role in mid-latitude global ozone depletion. 28,29 Indeed a related mechanism was suggested in ref 5 for the low acidify condition hydrolysis. 

Binary covalent (Section 3.4) AaBb N2O5 or CO2 (prefix unless mono) (name of first element in formula) (prefix) (root of second element)ide dinitrogen pentoxide or carbon dioxide... 

The name for N2O5 is dinitrogen pentoxide. The a in penta- has been dropped for easier pronunciation. 

Explain why P2O5 is named dinitrogen pentoxide, using prefixes, but AI2O3 is named aluminum oxide, without prefixes. 

The prefix mono- is generally omitted for the first element. SO2, for example, is named sulfur dioxide, not monosulfur dioxide. Thus, the absence of a prefix for the first element usually means there is only one atom of that element present in the molecule. In addition, for ease of pronunciation, we usually eliminate the last letter of a prefix that ends in "o or a when naming an oxide. Thus, N2O5 is dinitrogen pentoxide, rather than dinitrogen pentaoxide. Sample Problem 2.4 gives you some practice naming binary molecular compounds from their formulas. 

---