Sodium Chloride salt structure
Sodium Chloride compound (NaCl), known as salt, with very small colorless crystals, is best example for so told ionic bonding. Every Sodium atom is surrounded with six Chloride atoms and every Chloride atom is surrounded wit six Sodium atoms. Connection between them is ionic (Na+Cl-)?
But, is it so?
In any small salt crystals, there are millions of atoms. For example, in small Sodium Chloride crystal with dimensions 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 mm and weight about 1.5 *10-4 grams, there are 1.6*10exp18 NaCl molecules. How they are interconnected. How ionic molecules can exist in solid materials without free electrons. Is it possible, when we know that in all bonding connections, minimum one electron must be involved. If the connection are ionic and the base for ionic bonding is geometry, how is possible only four from eight empty space to be fulfill in (ZnS) crystal structure.
If we draw electronic structure for NaCl compound, with electronic structural scheme based on New bond theory, we shall get new picture about bonding type between Sodium and Chloride.
Here, only one electron is transferred between so told ionic atoms, all other are with donor acceptor mechanism.
Here are new electronic structural schemes for Sodium and for Chloride as salt (solid)
User posted image: User posted image
With this new kind of the electronic structural schemes, for Sodium and for Chloride, we can see that every Sodium atom is connected only with four Chloride atoms and every Chloride atom is connected with four Sodium atoms and all connections are covalent.
Here is also the new Sodium Chloride crystal structure pictures
User posted image: User posted image
From this pictures of Sodium Chloride salt we can see also that every Sodium atom is surrounded with six Chloride atoms and every Chloride atom is surrounded with six Sodium atoms. But now, every Sodium atom is connected only with four Chloride atoms and every Chloride atom is connected with four Sodium atoms. Same as new electronic structural scheme for Sodium and for Chloride. This NaCl compound or salt, became ionic, only when is molten or dissolved in water or another soluble solution.
Maks,