Clarification

[205154661_Dis2J]

Can someone explain whether the octet rule is more important than obtaining a 0 formal charge or vice versa?

[Kate Osborne 1H]

I think in lecture Dr. Lavelle said that obtaining a formal charge of zero is more important than following the octet rule which is why there are so many exceptions to it. Because having an octet on one element does not mean that the surrounding elements will also have an octet.

[ASetlur_1G]

I think he said that lewis structures with an expanded octet have lower energy than the octet structure, and since it's more important to have the lowest energy possible and be more stable, obtaining a formal charge of 0 is more important than following the octet rule.

[Sean Tran 2K]

We are saying that there are exceptions to the octet rule, as formal charges of zero take priority, but these exceptions will still mean that the atom breaking the octet rule would have more than 8 atoms or no?

[Alexandra Bartolome 2H]

Obtaining a formal charge of 0 is more important since it means that although the octet rule is reached, the atoms have exactly a half-share in a pair of bonding electrons.

[Ryan Juncker 3D]

Obtaining the formal charge of zero is generally more important because it provides you with a more stable structure. I believe what Dr. Lavelle said is for example in PCl5 Phosphorus will expand its valence shell to 10 electrons.

[504939134]

In the lecture Professor Lavelle states that obtaining a formal charge of 0 is much more important than following the octet rule.