The compound Cl2 is known as chlorine gas. It consists of two chlorine atoms bonded together, making it a diatomic molecule.
This compound is molecular in nature. Molecular compounds are formed when two or more nonmetals share electrons to achieve stability, which is exactly what occurs with the chlorine atoms in Cl2. These atoms share one pair of electrons, resulting in a covalent bond that holds them together.
In contrast, ionic compounds are formed when electrons are transferred from one atom to another, typically between metals and nonmetals, resulting in the formation of charged ions. Since Cl2 doesn’t involve the transfer of electrons and is composed solely of nonmetals, it is not ionic.