Born-Haber cycle Covalent bond

Born-Haber cycle A thermodynamic cycle derived by application of Hess s law. Commonly used to calculate lattice energies of ionic solids and average bond energies of covalent compounds. E.g. NaCl ... 

Fig. 7. Born-Haber cycle for the formation of ions by heterolytie fission of a covalent bond. I ionization potential of M, E electron affinity of X...

In the sulphides, selenides, tellurides and arsenides, all types of bond, ionic, covalent and metallic occur. The compounds of the alkali metals with sulphur, selenium and tellurium form an ionic lattice with an anti-fluorite structure and the sulphides of the alkaline earth metals form ionic lattices with a sodium chloride structure. If in MgS, GaS, SrS and BaS, the bond is assumed to be entirely ionic, the lattice energies may be calculated from equation 13.18 and from these values the affinity of sulphur for two electrons obtained by the Born-Haber cycle. The values obtained vary from —- 71 to — 80 kcals and if van der Waal s forces are considered, from 83 to -- 102 kcals. 

When the multiplicity of a complex is the same for ionic or ion-dipole bonds and for covalent bonds, the decision as to which extreme bond type is the more closely approached in any actual case must be made with the aid of less straightforward arguments. Sometimes theoretical energy diagrams can be constructed with sufficient accuracy to decide the question. A discussion of crystals based on the Born-Haber thermochemical cycle has been given by Rabinowitsch and Thilo3), and more accurate but less extensive studies have been made by Sherman and Mayer4). 

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