The
principal reason for the extremely low solubility of NaCl in benzene (C₆H₆)
is the: e. weak solvation of Na⁺ and Cl⁻ by C₆H₆. <span> </span><span>Solvation is the interaction of solvent (benzene) with molecules or ions (sodium chloride) in a solute. Sodium chloride has ionic bonds and
benzene has nonpolar covalent bonds, because of that, solvation is weak.</span>
The valence electrons determine how reactive an element is, and since Sodium and other alkali metals could easily lose an electron, they become very reactive to be stable.
