Why can't carbon form an ionic bond?

Question

1. My textbook says that a $\\ce{C^{4+}}$ cation cannot be formed because it requires a lot of energy to remove 4 electrons. Formation of ionic bonds involve "removing" electrons and there seems to be enough energy there. So what's different for carbon? 2. The textbook also mentions that a $\\ce{C^{4-}}$ anion cannot be formed because 6 protons cannot hold on to 10 electrons. Elements like chlorine form ionic bonds and end up with 18 electrons and 17 protons. I know there's just one more electron. So is $\\ce{NaCl}$ possible because it's not very hard to hold on to 1 extra electron? In that case at what exact point does it become hard to hold onto the extra electrons?

Answer 1

I think I would approach this in a different way.

Nature is going to do whatever is easiest. Water flowing down a hill fill find the path of least resistance. Carbon easily forms covalent bonds, including double and triple bonds with itself. These bonds give off more energy, in other words are easier to make, than those that it can make with metals. Even when carbon does bond with a metal like lithium or sodium, it first makes a triple bond with itself with 2 extra elections called the acetylide anion, C₂^2-, polyatomic ion. Then the acetylide will bond with 2 lithium (or 2 sodium) ions. Making Li₂C₂.