In metallic bonding, the valence electrons of metal atoms are indeed delocalized, meaning they are not associated with any specific atom but instead form a "sea" of electrons that are free to move throughout the metal lattice. This delocalization of electrons is what gives metals their unique properties, such as high electrical and thermal conductivity, malleability, and ductility.
When metals react with other elements, they typically do not transfer their delocalized electrons to form ions. Instead, the delocalized electrons contribute to the overall bonding and are shared among all the metal atoms in the lattice. This is why metals generally do not form discrete ions like non-metals do.
However, there are exceptions to this general rule. Some metals, especially those with low ionization energies, can form ionic compounds when they react with highly electronegative elements. In such cases, the metal can transfer a few of its valence electrons to the electronegative element to form an ion. This is more commonly observed with metals in lower groups of the periodic table, where the difference in electronegativity is larger.
Overall, in metallic bonding, metals do not typically transfer their delocalized electrons to other elements during reactions. The delocalized electrons remain within the metal lattice, contributing to the metallic bonding and the characteristic properties of metals.