Ionic Bonding Notes

CHEMICAL BONDING I

The Noble gases or elements are chemically un-reactive because they have filled valence
shells/energy levels.

All the other elements of periodic table are reactive because their (valence shells)
outermost electron shells are incomplete or unfilled.

And so when elements react together to form compounds they do so to attain a full
valence shell of electrons/energy level which is similar to the electronic configuration of
noble gas element that is in the same period as the element undergoing the bonding.

A maximum filled 2 electrons in the valence shell or energy level is called a Duplet.

A maximum filled 8 electrons in the valence shell or energy level is called an Octet.

 NB - It should be noted that only the valence electrons and valence shells of
atoms of an element are actually involved in Chemical Bonding.

The Major types of Chemical Bonds are as follows:-

1. Electrovalent (Ionic) Bonding

2. Covalent Bonding
3. Co-ordinate Covalent Bonding
4. Metallic Bonding

Electrovalent (Ionic) Bonding

Electrovalent or Ionic bonding is the chemical bonding that involves the transfer of the
valence electrons of a metallic element (donor) to a non-metallic element (called the
acceptor).

An Electrovalent or Ionic bond is formed when the valence electron(s) are transferred
from a metal atom (donor) to a non-metal atom (acceptor).

The metal atom(s) on losing it valence electron(s) becomes a positively charged ion or a
cation, while simultaneously the non-metal atom(s) gain the donated electron(s) in its
valence shell(s) and become negatively charged ions or anions.

It is the electrostatic attractive force between the positively charge cations and the
negatively charged anions that forms the actual Electrovalent/Ionic bond.

 NB – Metals with 1, 2, 3 (valence electrons) electrons in their outermost

shell/energy level may lose these electrons to become positively charge ions
cations.
 Ionic Bonding Notes

 NB – Non-metals 5, 6, or 7 (valence electrons) electrons in their outermost

shell/energy level may gain these electrons to become negatively charge ions
anions.

Electrovalent/Ionic bonding ALWAYS results in the formation of a formula unit.

The formula of a Electrovalent/Ionic compound represents one formula unit of the

Electrovalent/Ionic compound, and is called the Empirical formula.

Valency - is the number of electrons an atom has lose, gain, or share to attain a stable
electronic configuration (structure).

Group I II Transition III IV V VI VII VIII/0

metals
Valency los los Variable Lose Lose or Gain Gain Gain
e1 e2 often lose 2 3 Gain 4 3 2 1
Ion + 2+ * 3+ 4– 3– 2– – none
formed 4+

Example 1.
Dot and Cross diagram showing the formation of Ionic compound Sodium Chloride

● ● + ● ● –
×– ● × ●
Na Cl Na Cl
● ● ● ●
● ● ● ●

Sodium Chlorine Sodium Chloride

atom atom ion ion
2, 8, 1 2, 8, 7 2, 8 2, 8

Empirical formula : NaCl

 Ionic Bonding Notes

Example 2.
Dot and Cross diagram showing the formation of Ionic compound Magnesium Fluoride

● ● ● ● –
× ● × ●
Mg F F
× ● ● 2+ ● ●
● ● ● ●
Mg
● ● ● ● –
×– ● × ●
Mg F F
● ● ● ●
● ● ● ●
1 Magnesium 2 Fluorine 1 Magnesium 2 Fluoride
atom atom ion ion
2, 8, 1 2, 8, 7 2, 8 2, 8
Empirical formula : MgF2

Example 3.
Dot and Cross diagram showing the formation of Ionic compound Aluminium Oxide.

● ● 3+ ● ● 2–
× ● × ●
Al × O Al O
× ● × ●
● ● ● ●

● ● ● ● 2–
× ● × ●
Al × O O
× ● × ●
● ● ● ●

● ● 3+ ● ● 2–
×– ● × ●
Al ×– O Al O
× ● × ●
● ● ● ●

2 Aluminium 3 Oxygen 2 Aluminium 3 Oxide

atoms atoms ions ions
2, 8, 3 2, 6 2, 8 2, 8

Empirical formula : Al2O3

 Ionic Bonding Notes

 NB – Ionic compounds formed from only two elements are called binary
compounds and their names usually end with the suffix –ide.

The General Properties of Ionic Compounds

Ionic compounds:

 Are moderately hard, brittle (easily broken) crystalline solids.

 Have high melting and boiling points.
 DO NOT conduct electricity in the solid state.
 Conducts electricity ONLY when molten or dissolved in water.
 Most are soluble in water – (i.e. they readily dissolve in water).
 Most react readily with each other in aqueous solutions.

* A Lattice – is a regular or ordered arrangement of formula units in a crystalline solid.

Some of the general properties of ionic compounds are accounted for in the table [Z]
below:

Table [Z] Some of the main properties of Ionic Compounds

Property Ionic Compound Reason(s) for the Compound

Having the property
Composition All are composed of This is as a result of the ions formed from
ions. the bonding involved.
State at room All are moderately This is as a result of the strong ionic bonds
Temperature hard that hold the ions in its crystal lattice *(see
and pressure. brittle crystalline lattice above)
solids.
Melting and All have high This is as result of the strong
Boiling Points melting and ionic bonds between the ions
boiling points. requiring large amounts of heat
energy to separate the ions from each other
within the substance.
Solubility Most are soluble in This is as a result of ions in crystal lattice
water but insoluble breaking apart and moving around in
in organic solution
(covalent) solvents.
Electrical Conduct electricity This is as a result of ions separating from
Conductivity ONLY when molten the crystal lattice on melting are attracted to
or dissolved in water oppositely charge electrodes when a
voltage is applied.
 Ionic Bonding Notes

Writing the formulae of Ionic Compounds

When one writes the chemical formula of an ionic compound, the sum of the +ve
charges MUST EQUAL the sum of the – ve charges.

This is so since both types of the atom or the radical MUST Lose or Gain the
SAME number of electrons

To write the empirical formula of Ionic Compounds

1. Determine the ions present.

2. Write the formula such that the sums of the + ve and the – ve charges are equal.
(do this by determining the L.C.M. of the the two charges).
3. Place brackets around radicals if more than one is present.
4. Always place the metal or ammonium ion first in the formula

Some Common Metal ions (called Cations) and Non-metal ions (called Anions) are
given in the tables below :

Common Metal Ions (Cations)

Monovalent Divalent Trivalent Tetravalent

Hydrogen H+ Magnesium Mg2+ Aluminum Al3+ Titanium Ti4+
Lithium Li+ Calcium Ca2+
Sodium Na+ Barium Ba2+
Potassium K+ Iron (II) Fe2+ Iron (III) Fe3+
Copper (I) Cu+ Copper Cu2+
Mercury (I) Hg+ Zinc Zn2+ Indium In3+
Lead (I) Pb+ Tin(II) Sn 2+

Ammonium NH4+ Lead Pb2+

Nickel (II) Ni2+
Cobalt Co2+

* Represents radicals – which are small groups of electrically charged particles.

Common Non-Metal Ions (Anions)

Monovalent Divalent Trivalent Tetravalent

 Ionic Bonding Notes

Hydrogen H+ Magnesium Mg2+ Aluminum Al3+ Titanium Ti4+

Lithium Li+ Calcium Ca2+
Sodium Na+ Barium Ba2+
Potassium K+ Iron (II) Fe2+ Iron (III) Fe3+
Copper (I) Cu+ Copper Cu2+
Mercury (I) Hg+ Zinc Zn2+ Indium In3+
Lead (I) Pb+ Tin(II) Sn 2+

Ammonium NH4+ Lead Pb2+

Nickel (II) Ni2+
Cobalt Co2+

Chemical formula (Empirical formula or Molecular formula) of a Ionic/Covalent

compound represents the ratio or proportions by mass of the different elements in a
compound.

A binary compound is composed of Only two dissimilar elements. The chemical

formula of binary compounds can be written using the valencies since both types of
atoms forming the compound MUST be Losing, Gaining or Sharing the same
number of electrons.

Examples of formula writing Using the ‘Swap/Switch’ method

Example 1. Magnesium Nitride

Ions : Mg2+ N 3–

Empirical formula : Mg3 N2

Example 2. Potassium Oxide

Ions : K+ O 2–

Empirical formula : K2 O
Example 3. Sodium Chloride

Ions : Na+ Cl –

(univalent ions – have same

number of charge on each ion)
 Ionic Bonding Notes

Empirical formula : Na Cl
Example 4. Beryllium Oxide

Ions : Be2+ O 2–

(univalent ions – have same

number of charge on each ion)

Empirical formula : Be O

Example 3. Lithium Phosphide

Ions : Li+ P3–

Empirical formula : Li3 P

Example 4. Calcium Carbide

Ions : Ca2+ C4–

Empirical formula : Ca4 C2

Example 1. Ammonium Phosphate

Ions : NH4 + PO43–

Empirical formula : (NH4)3PO4

 Ionic Bonding Notes

Example 2. Copper (II) hydroxide

Ions : Cu2+ OH–

Empirical formula : Cu (OH)2

Example 3. Iron (III) Sulphate

Ions : Fe3+ SO42–

Empirical formula : Fe2(SO4)3

Example 4. Manganese (II) Nitrate

Ions : Mn2+ NO3–

Empirical formula : Mn(NO3)2

Example 5. Lead (II) Ethanoate

Ions : Pb2+ CH3COO–

Empirical formula : Pb (CH3OO)2

Example 6. Aluminium Dichromate

Ions : Al3+ Cr2O72–

Empirical formula : Al2(Cr2O7)3

 Ionic Bonding Notes

Example 7. Barium hydrogen sulphate

Ions : Ba2+ HSO4–

Empirical formula : Ba(HSO4)2

Example 8. Ammonium hydroxide

Ions : NH4+ OH–

(univalent ions – have same

number of charge on each ion)

Empirical formula : NH4 OH