Coordinate Covalent Bonding

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Describe the formation of a coordinate covalent bond

  • Covalent bond: A chemical bond formed between two atoms through the sharing of pairs of electrons.
  • Single covalent bond: A covalent bond involving the sharing of one pair of electrons.
  • Double covalent bond: A covalent bond involving the sharing of two pairs of electrons.
  • An oxygen molecule contains a double covalent bond.
  • Coordinate covalent bond: A covalent bond in which one of the two atoms bonded supplies all of the shared electrons.
  • Coordinate covalent bonds are formed when one atom does not have a complete outer shell, while another atom does have a complete outer shell and has at least one unshared electron pair.
  • Once formed, coordinate covalent bonds are indistinguishable from normal covalent bonds.

 

Example of coordinate covalent bonding