Is ammonia an ionic compound?
No. In its pure, gaseous form Ammonia is molecular – formula NH3, formed with covalent bonds throughout. However, when ammonia dissolves in water (it is VERY soluble in water by the way…) it reacts with the water forming an ionic solution – ammonium hydroxide. This has the formula NH4 OH . the NH4 is a positive ion with a single + charge, and the OH is a negative ion with a single negative charge. Ammonium hydroxide only exists as a solution in water however; as soon as you try to concentrate the solution up by evaporation, the ammonium hydroxide breaks back down into ammonia gas and water.
