Introducing an Extended Covalent Bond between Oxygen Atoms with an OXO-Shape in Ions and Molecules: Compatibility with the Even-Odd and the Isoelectronicity Rules

Building on the recent success of the even-odd rule, the present paper explores its implications by studying the very specific case of OXO compounds. These compounds are usually represented with double bonds linking two oxygen atoms to a central atom—as in carbon dioxyde—yet can sometimes be drawn in a triangular structure, such as in calcium dioxyde. Measurement data moreover indicate that most OXO compounds have an angle around 120° between oxygen atoms, although that seems incompatible with triangular representations. The aim here is to unify these commonly admitted representations by linking oxygen atoms through a single bond that is longer than usual covalent bonds: an “elongated bond”. This elongated bond has the interesting effect of suppressing the need for double bonds between oxygen and the central atom. The elongated bond concept is applied to about a hundred of molecules and ions and methodically compared to classical representations. It is shown that this new representation, associated to the even-odd rule, is compatible with all studied compounds and can be used in place of their classical drawings. Its usage greatly simplifies complex concepts like resonance and separated charges in gases. Elongated bonds are also shown to be practicable with the isoelectronic rule as well as isomers, and throughout chemical reactions. This study of an especially long and wide angle bond confirms the versatility of the even-odd rule: it is not limited to compounds with short covalent bonds and can include OO covalent bond lengths of more than 200 pm and with OXO angles above 90°.