2008 AS-Level Chemistry

Coordinate or Dative Covalent Bonding

NH4+ CO

Al2Cl6 H3O+

Co-ordinate (DativeCovalent) Bond = a covalent bond formed when both shared electrons are provided by only one atom. e- pair comes from a lone pair on the donor atom eg N of NH3, O of H2O the atom accepting and sharing the lone pair must have an incomplete outer energy level eg H+, Al in AlCl3, C in CO Dative (co-ordinate) bonds are physically and chemically identical to ordinary covalent bonds - only the method of formation differs. Represent by X: Y instead of X Y

1. Ammonium ion : NH4+

NH3(g) + HCl(g) NH4+Cl-(s)

H .. . . H . N . .. H

+ H+

H .. . . H . N . H .. H

2. Hydronium ion : H3O+

H2O(l) + HCl(g) H3O+(aq) + Cl-(aq)

.. . . H . O. .. H

+ H+

.. . . H . O. .. H

H4O2+ unlikely to form via the second lone pair because the second H+ is repelled by H3O+

3.

Aluminium chloride dimer, Al2Cl6

Cl .. . Cl . Al .. . Cl.

.. . Al . Cl .. Cl

. .Cl

4.

Carbon monoxide, CO
X X

C N

X X

O N

Isoelectronic with N2 :
X X X X X

Why does NH3 react readily with BF3 to form a stable compound ? N of NH3 has a lone pair on the N atom. The B atom of BF3 has an incomplete energy level and can form a dative bond with the N atom.

H .. . . H . N . .. H

F .. . B . F .. F

ALL atoms now have a noble gas configuration

The End