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Related Concept Videos

Types of Chemical Bonds02:37

Types of Chemical Bonds

Chemical bonding theories were pioneered by American chemist Gilbert N. Lewis. He developed a model called the Lewis model to explain the type and formation of different bonds. Chemical bonding is central to chemistry; it explains how atoms or ions bond together to form molecules. It explains why some bonds are strong and others are weak, or why one carbon bonds with two oxygens and not three; why water is H2O and not H4O.
Types of Chemical Bonds02:37

Types of Chemical Bonds

Chemical bonding theories were pioneered by American chemist Gilbert N. Lewis. He developed a model called the Lewis model to explain the type and formation of different bonds. Chemical bonding is central to chemistry; it explains how atoms or ions bond together to form molecules. It explains why some bonds are strong and others are weak, or why one carbon bonds with two oxygens and not three; why water is H2O and not H4O.
Covalent Bonding and Lewis Structures02:46

Covalent Bonding and Lewis Structures

Compared to ionic bonds, which results from the transfer of electrons between metallic and nonmetallic atoms, covalent bonds result from the mutual attraction of atoms for a “shared” pair of electrons.
Covalent Bonds01:08

Covalent Bonds

Overview
When two atoms share electrons to complete their valence shells, they create a covalent bond. An atom's electronegativity—the force with which shared electrons are pulled towards an atom—determines how the electrons are shared. Molecules formed with covalent bonds can be either polar or nonpolar. Atoms with similar electronegativities form nonpolar covalent bonds; the electrons are shared equally. Atoms with different electronegativities share electrons unequally, creating polar bonds.
Covalent Bonds01:29

Covalent Bonds

When two atoms share electrons to complete their valence shells they create a covalent bond. An atom’s electronegativity—the force with which shared electrons are pulled towards an atom—determines how the electrons are shared. Molecules formed with covalent bonds can be either polar or nonpolar. Atoms with similar electronegativities form nonpolar covalent bonds; the electrons are shared equally. Atoms with different electronegativities share electrons unequally, creating polar bonds.A Covalent...
Chemical Bonds02:40

Chemical Bonds


Atoms participate in a chemical bond formation to acquire a completed valence-shell electron configuration similar to that of the noble gas nearest to it in atomic number. Ionic, covalent, and metallic bonds are some of the important types of chemical bonds. Bond energy and bond length determine the strength of a chemical bond.
Types of Chemical Bonds
An ionic bond is formed due to electrostatic attraction between cations and anions. Often, the ions are formed by the transfer of electrons from...

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From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding
06:44

From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding

Published on: March 24, 2018

Shifting paradigms: electrostatic interactions and covalent bonding.

Heiko Jacobsen1

  • 1KemKom, 1215 Ursulines Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70116, USA. jacobsen@kemkom.com

Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|November 26, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Heavier main group elements in X2H2 molecules form doubly hydrogen-bridged structures due to favorable electrostatic interactions and minimal Pauli repulsion. This bonding model explains the unique geometries observed in these compounds.

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Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

From Molecules to Materials: Engineering New Ionic Liquid Crystals Through Halogen Bonding
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Spatial Separation of Molecular Conformers and Clusters
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Vibrational Spectra of a N719-Chromophore/Titania Interface from Empirical-Potential Molecular-Dynamics Simulation, Solvated by a Room Temperature Ionic Liquid
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Vibrational Spectra of a N719-Chromophore/Titania Interface from Empirical-Potential Molecular-Dynamics Simulation, Solvated by a Room Temperature Ionic Liquid

Published on: January 25, 2020

Area of Science:

  • Computational Chemistry
  • Quantum Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry

Background:

  • Covalent bonding in main group elements is crucial for molecular structure.
  • Acetylene and its heavier analogues exhibit diverse bonding characteristics.
  • Understanding electrostatic interactions is key to predicting molecular geometries.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of electrostatic interactions in the covalent bonding of heavier main group elements.
  • To explain the formation of doubly hydrogen-bridged geometries in X2H2 molecules (X=C, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb).
  • To validate a bonding model using density functional calculations.

Main Methods:

  • Density functional calculations (PBE/QZ4P) were employed.
  • Energy decomposition analyses and kinetic energy density analyses were performed.
  • Calculations were conducted on various molecular structures, including Si2(CH3)2.

Main Results:

  • Two primary factors favor doubly hydrogen-bridged geometries for heavier homologues of acetylene.
  • Extended electronic cores in heavier Group 14 elements lead to favorable electrostatic X-H interactions.
  • The absence of bonding-inactive electrons in hydrogen substituents minimizes Pauli repulsion, favoring bridged structures.

Conclusions:

  • Electrostatic interactions and Pauli repulsion govern the formation of doubly hydrogen-bridged structures in X2H2 molecules.
  • The presence of an extended electronic core and minimal Pauli repulsion are critical for these unusual geometries.
  • The validated bonding model provides insights into the chemical bonding of heavier main group elements.