The whole story of the two-electron bond, with the delta bond as a paradigm.
It is shown that the delta bond, as found particularly in the Re(2)(6+) and Mo(2)(4+) cores of hundreds of compounds, provides a paradigm for the behavior of two-electron bonds of all types. By control of the angle of twist around the M-M axis, the strength of the bond can be systematically varied. By means of conventional electronic spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and two-photon excitation spectroscopy, the entire picture of the manifold of four states for two electrons bonding two atoms, as first described by Coulson and Fischer in 1949, has been confirmed.
Laboratory for Molecular Structure and Bonding and the Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3255, USA.
F A
FA
Cotton
D G
DG
Nocera
D004583:Electrons; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000737:chemistry*; D012211:Rhenium / Q000737:chemistry*
D012211:Rhenium; D008982:Molybdenum