Question

When are the bonds of ions both covalent and ionic?

Are all polyatomic ions both covalent and ionic? I heard mixed things

Answer 1

I think you've confused yourself... Nothing can have covalent bonds that are also themselves ionic bonds.

---

Some polyatomic ions have covalent bonds within them. But clearly, they are ions, and so they interact ionically with other ions.

Not all polyatomic ions have covalent bonds...

Carbonate, `"CO"_3^(2-)`, is a charged molecular compound with covalent bonds within it. It interacts ionically with the metal cation, `"Ca"^(2+)`.

Chromate, `"CrO"_4^(2-)`, is a charged ionic compound with ionic bonds within it. It interacts ionically with the metal cation, `"Pb"^(2+)`.

All polyatomic ions interact ionically with metals. Not all polyatomic ions are molecular.