Sodium Chloride (NaCl)

Iconic ionic compound; dissolves in water to form Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions. Teaching note: figures illustrate qualitative electronic structure; quantitative benchmarking should use larger bases, dispersion, and experimental structures.

Geometry
Linear (gas-phase)
Polarity
Ionic
Bond angle
180°
Hybridisation
Ionic
VSEPR
AX
Bonds
1 ionic bond
Molecular orbitals
Ionic bonding; gas-phase MOs show extreme charge transfer from Na to Cl.
SMILES
[Na+].[Cl-]

Electron density: spin-paired GPAW (PBE) on an isolated gas-phase geometry; molecular orbitals: restricted mean-field RHF with sto-3g in PySCF unless noted.

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