Bonding in Ionic Compounds

18 March 2010
18:34

Chemical Bond: Forces holding atoms together

Ionic bonding

NET ELECTROSTATIC ATTRACTION BETWEEN IONS

Metal + Non Metal

Forms positively charged ions
Held together by strong ELECTROSTATIC forces
Held in a GIANT LATTICE STRUCTURE
Maximises attractive forces between oppositely charged ions
Minimises repulsion between similarly charged ions
Force exerted equally in all directions
Giant lattices = Ionic Crystals

Opposite charges ATTRACT

Like charges REPEL

Properties of giant ionic compounds

Hard crystalline substances

Have high melting points and boiling points because of the large numbers of ionic bonds between
oppositely charged ions which have to be broken

Often soluble in water and other polar solvents, but insoluble in non-polar solvents

Do not conduct electricity when solids, as their ions cannot move away from fixed positions in the
giant lattice

Do conduct electricity when molten or dissolved in water because the charged ions are then free to
move

Trends in Ionic Radii

Positive Ions
Radius of positive ion = smaller than atomic radius
remaining electrons are more attracted to the positive nucleus

Negative Ions
Radius of negative ion = larger than atomic radius
Additional negative charge
All electrons are bound tightly to the nucleus

Types of Lattice Structure

Face centred cubic structure

E.g. Sodium Chloride
Each ion has 6 nearest neighbours

Bonding Page 1
 Each ion has 6 nearest neighbours
(coordination number = 6)
Chloride ions are larger so sodium fits into spaces between them
Packing of ions is also known as a ROCK SALT STRUCTURE

Body centred cubic structures

E.g. Caesium Chloride
Each ion has 8 nearest neighbours
(coordination number = 8)
Caesium ions are larger than sodium - therefore more chloride ions can fit around the caesium
ion at the centre

Lattice Energy

Coming together of oppositely charged ions forms a lattice

The formation of these ions in the gaseous state from elements is endothermic
The formation of the lattice involves a release in energy (exothermic) - LATTICE ENERGY

Lattice energies are negative (formation) while bond enthalpies are positive (bond breaking)

DEFINITIONOF LATTICE ENERGY: the enthalpy of formation of one mole of an ionic compound from
gaseous ions under standard conditions.

BORN-HABER CYCLE FOR LATTICE ENERGY - See other page

What lattice energy is affected by

The greater the force of attraction :

the greater the energy needed to vaporise the lattice

OR
the greater the energy released on forming the ionic lattice

size of the ionic radius

ionic charge

The smaller the ion radius the less negative the lattice enthalpy
The greater the ion charge the less negative the lattice enthalpy

Greatest charge and smallest radius = greater lattice enthalpy

Series and comments on examples of lattice enthalpies ΔHLE

Group 7 - decreases downwards as the anion radius increases
Group 1 - decreases downwards as the cation radius increases

Comparing sodium chloride and magnesium oxide.

MgO has over 4x the lattice energy of sodium chloride because the ion charges are doubled i.e. 1+ x
1- compared to 2+ x 2-, a ratio of 1 : 4.

Increasing the charge on either ion (Q) increases the attractive force between them (F).

Decreasing the size of one or both of them decreases the distance between them (R) and so
increases the attractive force (F).

Bonding Page 2
 F=(Q1xQ2)/R

Stability

Theoretical lattice energies for substances that do not exist or form ionic bonds
High endothermic enthalpy of formation because ionisation energy for one of the electrons is
very high.
Potentially breaking into noble gas configuration.

The more negative a lattice energy the more stable it is as it requires more energy to break it.

Polarisation

Cation = positive (one which gets attracted to)

Anion = negative

Polarising power of cation depends on charge density

Charge density = amount of electrical charge in a given volume
Stronger bond = higher charge density=more positive lattice energy
Mg2+ is smaller than Na+ so stronger bond therefore higher charge density and more
positive lattice energy

Cations with a small ionic radius and large positive charge = more polarising as stronger attraction
for outer electrons.

Large distortion resembles covalent bonding

Sometimes theoretical energy is less negative than energy from BH cycle meaning they are more
stable than an ionic model indicates - they show covalent character.
Due to effect of different electronegativities on bonds.
Small difference = covalent character

Theoretical model assumes that all ions are spherical and separate and that charge is evenly
distributed.

Bonding Page 3
 Covalent Compounds
20 May 2010
10:15

Covalent bond: Sharing a pair of electrons between atoms in a molecule

Dative covalent bond: A covalent bond in which both electrons come from the same
atom. (Ammonia, Aluminium Chloride)
Arrow points towards atom receiving it

Shared electrons of a covalent bond or a lone pair form dense areas of electronegativity
Each area repels the other
Gives atoms definite shape

Covalent Compounds Page 4

 Metallic Bonding
20 May 2010
11:18

Positive metal ions surrounded by a sea of delocalised electrons (negative)

Metallic bonding: Attraction between the two (very strong)

Higher charge density of both delocalised electron cloud and ions, greater the
electrostatic attraction between them

1+ potassium = larger than 2+ iron

Potassium = weaker metallic bonds as lower charge density
Lower melting point
Softer

PROPERTIES

Good At Conducting electricity

Delocalised electrons are free to move throughout the lattice

When potential difference is applied they are attracted to the positive
electrode

High Thermal Conductivity

Delocalised electrons are free to move throughout the lattice

Move easily
Transmit kinetic energy rapidly
When heated electrons in the heated area move to cooler areas transferring
heat energy as they go

High melting and boiling points

Bonds are strong so it requires a lot of energy to break them

Malleability and Ductility

Hammered into different shapes (M)

Drawn out (D)
Positive ions can move within the sea of electrons and still be surrounded by a
sea of negative electrons

Metallic Bonding Page 5