In basic inorganic nomenclature, what is the correct chemical name for the ionic compound with the formula MgCl2?

Introduction / Context:
Correct chemical naming, or nomenclature, is essential for clear communication in chemistry. Ionic compounds are named using simple rules based on the names of the cation and anion. Magnesium chloride, a common example, appears in many exercises on naming salts. This question asks for the correct name of MgCl2, testing your understanding of basic ionic compound nomenclature.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The chemical formula given is MgCl2. - Several similar sounding names are offered as options. - We assume standard IUPAC naming rules for binary ionic compounds.

Concept / Approach:
MgCl2 is an ionic compound composed of magnesium ions and chloride ions. Magnesium is a metal that forms Mg2 plus cations, and chlorine in ionic form is called chloride, carrying a single negative charge Cl minus. In naming binary ionic compounds, we simply write the name of the metal cation followed by the name of the nonmetal anion with the suffix ide. We do not use prefixes such as di or tri for simple ionic compounds of main group metals. Therefore, the correct name is magnesium chloride, not magnesium chlorine or magnesium dichloride.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the cation in MgCl2. Magnesium Mg is the metal and forms Mg2 plus ions. Step 2: Identify the anion. Chlorine forms Cl minus ions, and the name of the anion is chloride. Step 3: Apply the naming rule for binary ionic compounds: write the cation name first, followed by the anion name with ide ending. Step 4: Combine magnesium and chloride to get magnesium chloride. Step 5: Recognise that prefixes like di are not used in this type of naming for main group ionic compounds.

Verification / Alternative check:
Textbooks and chemical reference tables list MgCl2 under the name magnesium chloride. In laboratory labels and safety data sheets, this compound is consistently referred to as magnesium chloride. No standard source uses names such as magnesium chlorine, magnesium dichloride, or dimagnesium chloride for MgCl2. This confirms that magnesium chloride is the accepted and correct name according to IUPAC rules.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B (Magnesium chlorine) is incorrect because the anion name must end with ide, giving chloride rather than chlorine. Option C (Magnesium dichloride) wrongly applies a molecular prefix. For ionic compounds with main group metals, we normally do not use di, even though two chloride ions are present. Option D (Dimagnesium chloride) incorrectly suggests two magnesium atoms and misuses the prefix. The formula MgCl2 shows one magnesium ion and two chloride ions, not two magnesium ions.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to transfer rules from covalent compound naming, where prefixes like mono and di are used, into ionic naming where they are usually not applied. Another pitfall is forgetting to change chlorine to chloride when naming the anion. To avoid these errors, always identify whether a compound is ionic or covalent, then apply the appropriate naming rules.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is: Magnesium chloride.