What is the common name for the compound CO?

The compound CO is commonly known as carbon monoxide. This nomenclature arises from the composition of the molecule, which consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom. The prefix "mono-" in the term "monoxide" indicates that there is one oxygen atom present. The naming convention follows IUPAC rules for binary compounds where the element with the lower electronegativity (carbon) is named first, followed by the more electronegative element (oxygen) with the appropriate prefix that specifies the number of atoms of that element.

In contrast, carbon dioxide is represented by the formula CO2, where two oxygen atoms are bonded to a single carbon atom. Carbon tetrafluoride (CF4) and carbon disulfide (CS2) are entirely different compounds, with tetrafluoride containing fluorine and disulfide containing sulfur, which are not applicable to the structure of CO. Thus, carbon monoxide is the correct common name for CO due to its unique composition and systematic naming rules.