Carbon

[Lelija Kazlauskas 3J]

Why can't two carbons just create four covalent bonds with each other?

[Hannah Romano 4D]

I don't think a bond order beyond triple bond can exist between atoms. I believe the bond length may be too short and the nuclei of the two atoms may begin to repel each other making it a less stable structure than a triple bond.

[Leonardo Le Merle 1D]

Quadruple bonds technically are possible but they require the presence of four different orbitals (two S, one P, and one D); carbon cannot attain the last.

[905373636]

The only atoms I can think of capable of making quad bonds are certain transition metals -- 1 s bond, 2 p bonds, and 1 d bond.

[Nan_Guan_1L]

I think the most bonds two C atoms can form is 3. they can't form 4 bonds because of bond angle and organizations I think