Is AlF3 ionic or covalent?

Understand the Problem

The question is asking whether aluminum trifluoride (AlF3) consists of ionic or covalent bonds. To answer this, we need to examine the nature of the bonds formed between aluminum and fluorine.

More Information

AlF3 is considered ionic due to the small size and high charge density of the aluminum ion (Al^3+) and the small size and high electronegativity of the fluoride ion (F^-). These properties favor the formation of ionic bonds according to Fajan's rule.

Tips

A common mistake is to assume that all aluminum compounds are either ionic or covalent based on one example, but the bond type can vary depending on the other element in the compound.

Sources

• Why is AlCl3 in covalent and AlF3 in ionic? - echemi.com
• Why is AlCl3 in covalent and AlF3 in ionic? - Quora - quora.com
• AlCl_3 is covalent where as AlF_3 is ionic. Why? - toppr.com