Covalent

Bonds
 Why do atoms bond?
• Atoms want noble gas configuration (octet)
• For ionic bonds there is a transfer of electrons
to get an octet of electrons
• For covalent bonds there is a sharing of
electrons to get an octet
 What is a covalent bond?
• Covalent bond - is the chemical bond that
results from sharing of valence electrons
– Occurs with elements close to each other on the
periodic table
– Ex: H2O
– Between a nonmetal and a nonmetal
– Molecule is two or more atoms bonded covalently
 Examples of Molecules
• F2
• H2O
• NH3 (ammonia)
• CH4 (methane)
• Notice there are no metals, only non-metals
 Diatomic molecules
• Some atoms do not exist as a single atom
• Atoms that exist as two
H2, O2, N2, Cl2, Br2, I2, F2
• HONClBrIF
• Magnificent 7-don’t forget H
3 Types of Covalent Bonds

• Single Covalent Bond

• Double Covalent Bond
• Triple Covalent Bond
 Single Covalent Bonds
• Each atom shares one pair of electrons
• Each atom shares 2 electrons
• Longest bond
• Weakest bond of the three
 Double Covalent Bonds
• In a double bond, each atom shares two pairs
of electrons
• Each atom shares 4 electrons
• Medium length bond
• Medium strength bond
 Triple Covalent Bond
• In a triple covalent bond, each atom shares
three pairs of electrons
• Each atom shares 6 electrons
• The shortest bond
• The strongest bond
• Carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur can form
double and triple covalent bonds
 The Nature of Bonding
• There are several major types of bonds. Ionic,
covalent and metallic bonds are the three most
common types of bonds.
• Covalent bonds – electrons are shared between
atoms.
• Ionic bonds – electrons are transferred between
atoms, creating cations and anions.
• Metallic bonds – two or more metals bonded
together.
 The Nature of Covalent Bonding
• There are two different types of covalent
bonds, polar covalent and nonpolar covalent.
– polar covalent – electrons are not shared equally
between the two bonded atoms. The electrons
are pulled toward the more electronegative of the
elements.
– nonpolar covalent – electrons are shared equally
between the two bonded atoms.
9_12
Electronegativities

H
2.1
IA IIA IIIA IVA VA VIA VIIA

Li Be B C N O F
1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0

Na Mg VIIIB
Al Si P S Cl
0.9 1.2 1.5 1.8 2.1 2.5 3.0
IIIB IVB VB VIB VIIB IB IIB

K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br
0.8 1.0 1.3 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.6 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.4 2.8

Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I
0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 1.9 2.2 2.2 2.2 1.9 1.7 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.1 2.5

Cs Ba La–Lu Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At
0.7 0.9 1.1–1.2 1.3 1.5 1.7 1.9 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.4 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.2

Fr Ra Ac–No
0.7 0.9 1.1–1.7
The formation of a bond between
two hydrogen atoms.

Source: Andrey K. Geim/High Field Magnet Laboratory/University of Nijmegen

Probability representations of the electron sharing in HF.
(a) What the probability map would look like if the two
electrons in the H–F bond were shared equally. (b) The
actual situation, where the shared pair spends more time
close to the fluorine atom than to the hydrogen atom.
 The Nature of Covalent Bonding
• Ionic bonds are formed when there is an
electronegativity difference (EN) greater
than 2.0.
• Polar covalent bonds form when there is a
EN between 0.5 and 1.9.
• Nonpolar covalent bonds form when there is a
EN between 0 and 0.49.
 Covalent Molecule Properties
• Covalent molecular solids tend to be soft
solids, liquids, or gases at room temperature
• Low melting and boiling points
• Poor conductors of heat and electricity
• Non-electrolytes – do not conduct electricity
in water
 Strength of Covalent Bond
• Several factors control bond strength
—Number of shared electrons-the more
electrons shared, greater the bond
—Size of the atom
—Bond length – the greater the bond length,
the weaker the bond