The structure of Na3As is complex with unusually short Na–Na distances of 328–330 pm which are shorter than in sodium metal, and this indicates that even with these electropositive metals the bonding cannot be straightforwardly ionic.
ðə stɹˈʌktʃɚɹ ʌv nˈɑː θɹˈiː ˌæzˌɪz kˈɑːmplɛks wɪð ʌnjˈuːʒuːəli ʃˈɔːɹt nˈɑː nˈɑː dˈɪstənsᵻz ʌv θɹˈiːhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti ˈeɪt θɹˈiːhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi pˌiːˈɛm wˌɪtʃ ɑːɹ ʃˈɔːɹɾɚ ðɐn ɪn sˈoʊdiəm mˈɛɾəl, ænd ðɪs ˈɪndᵻkˌeɪts ðæt ˈiːvən wɪð ðiːz ɪlˌɛktɹoʊpˈɑːzᵻtˌɪv mˈɛɾəlz ðə bˈɑːndɪŋ kænˈɑːt biː stɹeɪtfˈɔːɹwɚdli aɪˈɑːnɪk.