IUPAC Color Books
The IUPAC Color Books are the world’s authoritative resource for chemical nomenclature, terminology, and symbols. Terminology definitions published by IUPAC are drafted by international committees of experts in the appropriate chemistry sub-disciplines, and ratified by IUPAC’s Interdivisional Committee on Terminology, Nomenclature and Symbols (ICTNS). The books in this series are as follows:

Green Book: Quantities, Units and Symbols in Physical Chemistry
Red Book: Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry
Blue Book: Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry
Purple Book: Compendium of Polymer Terminology and Nomenclature
Orange Book: Analytical Terminology
Silver Book: Compendium of Terminology and Nomenclature of Properties Clinical Laboratory Sciences
White Book: Biochemical Nomenclature
Gold Book: Chemical Terminology


Principles of Chemical Nomenclature: A Guide to IUPAC Recommendations, 2011 RSC [ISBN 978-1-84973-007-5]
This edition of Principles of Chemical Nomenclature was edited by G.J. Leigh. Like the first edition of 1998, it is directed towards teachers and students of chemistry in schools and universities, but it should be equally useful to people such as government officials concerned with customs and taxation who need some acquaintance with chemical names, but generally have little knowledge of chemistry. It is a valuable introduction to all other color books, Red, Blue, and Purple. (PDF full text available)

The basics of organic nomenclature, of inorganic nomenclature and polymer nomenclature are also summarized in a collection of Brief Guides.