Monovalent

In chemistry, 'monovalent' describes an atom, radical, or ion that has a valence of one. This signifies its capacity to combine with one atom of another element or radical. This concept is fundamentally important in understanding the structure of chemical compounds and the nature of chemical bonds. monovalent atoms can only form a single covalent bond, donating or accepting one electron in the process. The term can also broadly apply to biological contexts, referring to substances or entities having a single binding site or functional group, limiting their interactions to one specific target.

Monovalent meaning with examples

• Hydrogen is a classic monovalent element, forming a single bond with other atoms like oxygen in water (H2O). Its lone valence electron allows it to react with numerous elements.
• In the formation of sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium (Na) is monovalent, readily giving up its single valence electron to the monovalent chlorine (Cl) atom, forming an ionic bond.
• A monovalent antibody, due to its single antigen-binding site, can bind to only one specific epitope on a pathogen, hindering aggregation or cross-linking effects compared to multivalent antibodies.
• Certain monovalent vaccines are formulated to protect against a single strain or serotype of a virus, providing a focused immune response compared to polyvalent vaccines.
• When considering the coordination complexes, monovalent ligands like chloride (Cl-) can bind to a central metal ion, occupying a single coordination site due to their valence of one.