The Extended Applications of the Octet and the 18-Electron Rules

E. M. R. Kiremire

Department of Chemistry, University of Namibia Private Bag 13301, Windhoek, (Namibia)

The octet and 18-electron rules are well known to chemists. Nonetheless, on closer examination of these rules, it is found that there some interesting aspects of these rules that have not been investigated. In this paper, such aspects have been exploited. In particular, they have been utilized to deduce from a given molecular formula the of bonds that hold two or more atoms together. The octet rule has been applied to both inorganic and organic systems. On the other hand, the eighteen electron rule has been used to determine the of metal-metal bonds in carbonyl clusters. This new approach to the use of octet and eighteen electron rules, will greatly make it easier to understand and explain multiple bonding in molecular systems.

Octet and 18 Electron rules