Can two metals react?

Question

I know two negatively charged ions (non-metals) can react and form a compound, but can two positively charged ions (metals/metalloids) do the same?

Answer 1

Non-metals can react with each other, but NOT as negatively charged ions. For example, iodine will react with fluorine to make compounds IF3 and IF5, but these are both covalent compounds.

Much more obvious example: water, H2O, is a compound between two nonmetals.

Metals can interact with each other, to make alloys, which are on the borderline between being mixtures (solutions) and real compounds.

The point is that many elements can form covalent compounds, or ionic compounds, depending on the nature of the partner. It still remains true that ions of the same charge will repel each other and not bond.

Answer 2

In any given compound one element is negative and one is positive (check electronegativity). Some metals/metalloids (e.g. Antimony, Arsenic) will accept negative charge in some circumstances because of their relatively high electronegativity, hence they will react with some other metals.