Nitrogen trichloride is a compound that is commonly used in chemical reactions and industrial processes. It is also known by several other names, including trichloramine, nitrous chloride, chlorine nitrate, nitrogen chloride, and nitrogen(III) chloride. These synonyms are all based on the different chemical and structural properties of the compound. Trichloramine is named for its three chlorine atoms, while nitrous chloride is based on its nitrogen and chlorine components. Chlorine nitrate and nitrogen chloride both emphasize the importance of these elements in the compound, while nitrogen (III) chloride indicates the chemical oxidation state of the nitrogen atom.