Why Don't Chlorine and Bromine Bond Together?

[Colin Cheng]

Why can't chlorine and bromine form a covalent compound?Colin

 

[Prashasti]

They are highly electronegative. They can only accept electrons, but they can't lose them, as this would require a lot of energy. They have positive ionisation enthalpy value and negative electron gain enthalpy.

 

[Colin Cheng]

But chlorine, bromine, fluorine... They form molecules which are covalent too... I mean like Cl2, Br2...Colin

 

[Prashasti]

Yes, they do form covalent compounds, for example in CCl4, there are four covalent bonds, and in CH2Br, CH3Br, etc. I forgot that it's hard for them to lose electrons, but they can share them, as in Carbon tetrachloride.

 

[Colin Cheng]

So it also requires a lot energy when they form CH3Br and CH2Br?Colin

 

[Borek]

Why can't chlorine and bromine form a covalent compound?

They do, it is called bromine monochloride.

 

[Colin Cheng]

Oh I see thanks!Colin