The duodecet rule: Part 3. Fluoro species of the third period elements

Abstract

On the basis of the suggested new value of 54 pm for the single bond covalent radius of fluorine, the previously established duodecetrule for period 3 elements in molecular species with highly electronegative ligands is extended to fluorides. It is shown, for species such as SiF4, (F3Si)2O, F3SiNH2, F3PO, and PF5, that the observed bond lengths are consistent with significant partial double bonding involving all the ligands, including fluorine, and with a total of six electron pairs in the valence shell of the central atom. Empirical rules based on d/d1, the ratio of an observed bond length to the corresponding single bond length calculated from the sum of covalent radii, are developed as a simple approximate guide to the extent of partial double bonding in bonds to third period elements. It is also shown that bond lengths in species such as Al2F5, AlO45−, and Al(NH2)4− are consistent with a duodecet rule.