Final answer:
The suffix used for naming nitrile compounds is '-nitrile,' with alternative names ending in '-onitrile' derived from corresponding carboxylic acids.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nomenclature of Nitrile Molecules
The suffix used in the naming of the nitrile class of organic molecules is -nitrile. According to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), the name of a nitrile compound is composed of the name of the hydrocarbon skeleton to which the nitrile group is attached, including the carbon in the nitrile group. An alternative naming method takes the name of the corresponding carboxylic acid and replaces the suffix -oic acid with -onitrile. It's important to note that in a nitrile group, a carbon is triple-bonded to a nitrogen, and these compounds can also be referred to as cyano groups.