[Doremou]

My question is, how many bonds can ZnO make? or just Zn for that matter? Like we know carbon has 4 valence electrons, it can make up to 4 bonds. I'm not sure about Zn though. I'm trying to draw a mechanism where a thiol group is deprotonated, then the sulfur attacks ZnO. Does the oxygen get kicked off of ZnO? I've never taken inorganic chem before.... I'm not entirely sure what goes on..

Also...how does one completely dissolve ZnO? Do I just disperse ZnO in water and add a ton of base?

This isn't a HW question, I'm doing research atm, just trying to figure it out.

Thanks in advance~

[DevaDevil]

zinc oxide is an ionic compound, you better not think of it in terms of covalent bonds (like a thiol)
zinc is charged 2+, oxygen 2-, that is what "binds them" in a lattice.

and to dissolve zinc oxide you will need a lot of acid, or indeed alkaline. But realize that the zinc oxide will then react with the acid/base, so it will not be the pure compound that dissolves. You will either have zinc cations with the acid's conjugate base ion, or you will have a complex.