Dative bonds in main-group compounds: a case for fewer arrows!
Risky business? The use of dative bonds to describe the electronic structure of main-group compounds has come into vogue in recent years. But where are the limits? When does the description as a dative bond make sense and when is this view misleading? This Essay develops the idea on the basis of current examples.
Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie, Freiburger Materialforschungszentrum (FMF) and Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), Section Soft Matter Science, Universität Freiburg, Albertstrasse 19, 79104 Freiburg (Germany).
Daniel
D
Himmel
Ingo
I
Krossing
Andreas
A
Schnepf
coordinative bonds; covalent bonds; dative bonds; p-block coordination compounds