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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Combining Solid-state and Solution-based Techniques: Synthesis and Reactivity of ChalcogenidoplumbatesII or IV
Published on: December 29, 2016
Reply to Comment on 'Chemical bonding in phase-change chalcogenides'
P C Müller1, S R Elliott2, R Dronskowski1
1Lehrstuhl für Festkörper- and Quantenchemie, Institut für Anorganische Chemie, RWTH Aachen University, D-52056 Aachen, Germany.
Abstract:
The above comment on our article (Mülleret al2025J. Phys.: Condens. Matter36325706) criticizes our assignment of the chemical bond in phase-change chalcogenides, such as GeTe, as electron-rich ('hypervalent'). The authors claim that these bonds, and all those in (GeTe)1-x(Sb2Te3)xcrystals, are electron-deficient and partially multicentre in nature. We show, particularly by focusing on electron-counting rules, that the latter claim is incorrect. It arises from inaccurate counting of electrons in GeTe, in particular, and the mistaken belief that density-based calculations, such as the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) of Bader, suffice to identify the bonding character in molecules or solids.
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