incomplete octet

[Jada Brown 2H]

how do we know when an element can have an incomplete octet with less than 8 electrons in its lewis structure?

[Kaylee Sepulveda 4G]

Usually, the elements that do this are B, Al, Li, and H. B and Al will usually form compounds where they only have six electrons instead of a complete octet.

[Maya Gollamudi 1G]

H, Li, and Be all form duplets in Lewis structures to achieve the noble gas configuration of He. B also has an incomplete octet of 6 electrons (like in the compound BF3) because F is unlikely to share more electrons with boron due to its high electronegativity.

[alex_4l]

You mean like one of the exceptions of a bond with electron deficiency?

[Ying Yan 1F]

Usually, the elements that do this are B, Al, Li, and H. B and Al will usually form compounds where they only have six electrons instead of a complete octet.

Why does B and Al exhibit this behaviour (where they don't form a complete octet)?

[005321227]

Incomplete octets can occur when elements do not have enough electrons to complete an octet around each element, even with double or triple bonds.

[005321227]

Incomplete octets can occur when elements do not have enough electrons to complete an octet around each element, even with double or triple bonds.