A multicenter valence-bond/molecular-orbital bonding scheme for main group "hypervalent" molecules is proposed which extends the 3-center-4-electron (3c-4e) bonding model of Rundle and Pimentel to include 4c-6e, 5c-8e, and 6c-10e bonds. This model allows the determination of bond orders and a rationalisation of bond distances. The octet rule is not exceeded with this model and, because "hypervalent" molecules contain bonds with bond orders of less than one, they are better described as hypobound molecules.
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Citation
Curnow, Owen J. J. Chem. Educ.1998 75 910.
Keywords
Bonding Theory, Inorganic Chemistry, MO Theory, Theoretical Chemistry
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