Carbon has 4 electrons in its outermost shell. It cannot lose 4 electrons to form C4+ cation because very high energy is required to remove 4 electrons leaving behind a carbon cation with 6 protons in its nucleus holding onto just 2 electrons. It also cannot gain 4 electrons to form C4– anion because it is difficult for 6 protons to hold onto 10 electrons. The type of bonds formed in ionic compou nds are ionic or electrovalent bonds and in compounds formed by carbon are covalent bonds. Since the electrons are shared, there are no char ged particles in carbon compounds and hence they are poor conductors of electricity.
