expanded-octet

[Kyle Thorin]

I know Dr. Lavelle mentioned this in class, but why exactly are we allowed to use an expanded-octet?

[Sarah Blake-2I]

The expanded octet is for elements that have d orbitals in the valence shell which accommodate additional electrons.

[Kendall 3H]

The d subshell of an atom has 5 orbital and can therefore fit 10 electrons, meaning there can be 10 valence electrons rather than only 8.

[Rohan Kubba Dis 4B]

Is there a general rule for the d-block elements for the expanded octet, or is it completely variable from element to element? Also, how are we able to derive the expanded octet numbers from these elements?

[RoshniVarmaDis1K]

The d subshell of an atom has 5 orbital and can therefore fit 10 electrons, meaning there can be 10 valence electrons rather than only 8.

To add on, it is possible for some molecules to have central atoms with more than 10 electrons. For example, SF₆ has 12 electrons around the central atom.