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How are metal chlorides different from chlorides of nonmetals?

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A labeled diagram of the chlorine element from the periodic table shows its atomic number 17, symbol Cl, electron configuration, and atomic weight range. The box is shaded green to indicate chlorine is a halogen, with icons for orthorhombic crystal structure, gas state at room temperature, and strong acidity. A key explains the icons and colors used. — chlorine Properties of chlorine.

The primary difference between metal chlorides and nonmetal chlorides lies in the nature of their chemical bonding and physical structure.

Metal Chlorides: When chlorine reacts with most metals, it forms ionic compounds. These substances typically exist as ionic crystals, characterized by an alternating array of cations and anions. Due to the strong electrostatic interactions between these ions, metal chlorides generally exhibit high melting points and are brittle.12
Nonmetal and Semimetal Chlorides: In contrast, chlorides formed with nonmetals or semimetals are predominantly molecular in nature. Unlike the ionic lattice structure found in metal chlorides, these compounds consist of discrete molecules held together by covalent bonds.1

While chlorine combines with almost all elements to form chlorides, these structural distinctions reflect the fundamental difference in how chlorine interacts with electropositive metals versus other nonmetallic elements.1