The universal adoption of an agreed nomenclature is a key tool for efficient communication in the chemical sciences, in industry and for regulations associated with import/export or health and safety. IUPAC provides recommendations on many aspects of nomenclature. The basics of organic nomenclature, of inorganic nomenclature and polymer nomenclature are summarized in a collection of Brief Guides accessible below. These compilations are coordinated by the Division of Chemical Nomenclature and Structure Representation (Division VIII).
| Organic Nomenclature | Inorganic Nomenclature | Polymer Nomenclature |
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Organic Nomenclature
A Brief Guide to the Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry was first published in PAC 92(3), pp. 527-539 (2020) <https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2019-0104>. An update was released in June 2021 [PDF]; see relevant project here for updates and translations.
Inorganic Nomenclature
A Brief Guide to the Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry was first published in PAC 87(9-10), 1039-1049 (2015) <https://dx.doi.org/10.1515/pac-2014-0718>. An update was released in Nov 2017 [PDF]; see relevant project here for updates and translations.
Polymer Nomenclature
A Brief Guide to Polymer Nomenclature has been published in PAC 84(10), pp. 2167-2169 (2012); https://doi.org/10.1351/PAC-REP-12-03-05. A two-sided PDF document is readily available for reprint; see relevant project here for updates and translations.
Comprehensive details can be found in the IUPAC Color Books (the Blue Book for nomenclature of organic chemistry; the Red Book for inorganic compounds, and the Purple Book for polymers).
An overall summary of chemical nomenclature can be found in Principles of Chemical Nomenclature. Check each project page for updates and translations; see also https://www.qmul.ac.uk/sbcs/iupac/.
Other brief and refs
A Brief Guide to Polymerization Terminology has been published in PAC in 2022; https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2021-0115. A two-sided PDF document is readily available for reprint; see relevant project here for updates and translations.
A Brief Guide to Polymer Characterization has been published in PAC in 2023; see relevant project
A 4-page Concise summary of Quantities, Units, and Symbols in Physical Chemistry, is available as part of the IUPAC Green Book.
A 4-page concise summary (PDF) of the Silver Book (NPU terminology in eHealth domain)