Ionic Bonding or Electrovalent Bonding

Ionic bonding is a type of chemical bond that the complete transfer of valence electron(s) between atoms and is a type of chemical bond that generates two oppositely charged ions,  resulting in positive and negative ions which attract each other. These ions represent atoms that have lost one or more electrons (known as cations) and atoms that have gained one or more electrons (known as anions). It is observed because metals with few electrons in its outer-most orbital. By losing those electrons, these metals can achieve noble-gas configuration and satisfy the octet rule. Similarly, nonmetals that have close to 8 electrons in its valence shell tend to readily accept electrons to achieve its noble gas configuration.

In ionic bonding, electrons are transferred from one atom to another resulting in the formation of positive and negative ions. The electrostatic attractions between the positive and negative ions hold the compound together. The predicted overall energy of the ionic bonding process, which includes the ionization energy of the metal and electron affinity of the nonmetal, is usually positive, indicating that the reaction is endothermic and unfavorable. However, this reaction is highly favorable because of their electrostatic attraction. At the most ideal inter-atomic distance, attraction between these particles releases enough energy to facilitate the reaction. Most ionic compounds tend to dissociate in polar solvents because they are often polar. This phenomenon is due to the opposite charges on each ions.

At a simple level, a lot of importance is attached to the electronic structures of noble gases like neon or argon which have eight electrons in their outer energy levels (or two in the case of helium). These noble gas structures are thought of as being in some way a "desirable" thing for an atom to have. One may well have been left with the strong impression that when other atoms react, they try to organize things such that their outer levels are either completely full or completely empty.

The importance of noble gas structures

At a simple level (like GCSE) a lot of importance is attached to the electronic structures of noble gases like neon or argon which have eight electrons in their outer energy levels (or two in the case of helium). These noble gas structures are thought of as being in some way a "desirable" thing for an atom to have.

You may well have been left with the strong impression that when other atoms react, they try to organise things such that their outer levels are either completely full or completely empty.

Ionic bonding in sodium chloride

Sodium (2,8,1) has 1 electron more than a stable noble gas structure (2,8). If it gave away that electron it would become more stable.

Chlorine (2,8,7) has 1 electron short of a stable noble gas structure (2,8,8). If it could gain an electron from somewhere it too would become more stable.

The answer is obvious. If a sodium atom gives an electron to a chlorine atom, both become more stable.

The sodium has lost an electron, so it no longer has equal numbers of electrons and protons. Because it has one more proton than electron, it has a charge of 1+. If electrons are lost from an atom, positive ions are formed.

Positive ions are sometimes called cations.

The chlorine has gained an electron, so it now has one more electron than proton. It therefore has a charge of 1-. If electrons are gained by an atom, negative ions are formed.

A negative ion is sometimes called an anion.

The nature of the bond

The sodium ions and chloride ions are held together by the strong electrostatic attractions between the positive and negative charges.

The formula of sodium chloride

You need one sodium atom to provide the extra electron for one chlorine atom, so they combine together 1:1. The formula is therefore NaCl.

Some other examples of ionic bonding

magnesium oxide

Again, noble gas structures are formed, and the magnesium oxide is held together by very strong attractions between the ions. The ionic bonding is stronger than in sodium chloride because this time you have 2+ ions attracting 2- ions. The greater the charge, the greater the attraction.

The formula of magnesium oxide is MgO.

calcium chloride

This time you need two chlorines to use up the two outer electrons in the calcium. The formula of calcium chloride is therefore CaCl₂.

potassium oxide

Again, noble gas structures are formed. It takes two potassiums to supply the electrons the oxygen needs. The formula of potassium oxide is K₂O.

THE A'LEVEL VIEW OF IONIC BONDING

• Electrons are transferred from one atom to another resulting in the formation of positive and negative ions.
• The electrostatic attractions between the positive and negative ions hold the compound together.

So what's new? At heart - nothing. What needs modifying is the view that there is something magic about noble gas structures. There are far more ions which don't have noble gas structures than there are which do.

Some common ions which don't have noble gas structures

You may have come across some of the following ions in a basic course like GCSE. They are all perfectly stable , but not one of them has a noble gas structure.

Fe3+		[Ar]3d5
Cu2+		[Ar]3d9
Zn2+		[Ar]3d10
Ag+		[Kr]4d10
Pb2+		[Xe]4f145d106s2

Noble gases (apart from helium) have an outer electronic structure ns²np⁶.

Contributors:
Jim Clark (Chemguide.co.uk)