Why is water such a good solvent for ionic compounds?

Question

Owen Ambrose · Accepted Answer

An old story....

Water is a strongly polar solvent...with substantial charge separation operating in the individual molecule. And we could represent by the formulation.... #stackrel(delta+)H-stackrel(delta-)O-stackrel(delta+)H# ...and of course, this is the basis of #"hydrogen-bonding"# as an intermolecular force, and also for the ridiculously high normal boiling point of water as a SMALL molecule. The water dipole is capable of acting as a donor towards Lewis-acidic metal centres..and of course, most of the time, with inorganic salts, we gots to spend a lot of time and trouble DRYING the salts, and removing water prior to reaction. Water should be a good donor towards CATIONS...and indeed it is. It can offer SOME stabilization to anions... And this all attempts to explain why water is such a prodigiously good solvent. Most subtances, inorganic or organic, HAVE SOME solubility in aqueous media. Ionic solutes can tend to have substantial solubilities.

Avery Adams · Answer

undefined Water is a good solvent for ionic compounds because it is a polar molecule with a partial positive charge on its hydrogen atoms and a partial negative charge on its oxygen atom. This polarity allows water molecules to surround and separate the positive and negative ions in the ionic compound, effectively dissolving it. Additionally, water molecules can form hydrogen bonds with ions, further facilitating dissolution.