Elements lacking accessible valence d-orbitals follow the strict octet rule
the verdict
REFUTED
the evidence says no
confidence 9/100
The claim that elements lacking accessible valence d-orbitals strictly follow the octet rule is refuted by modern chemical bonding theory and empirical evidence showing stable hypervalent compounds formed by main-group elements.
Evidence against · 3
A quantitative definition of hypervalency.
2015 · cited by 29
Magnum et al. (2015) demonstrate that numerous molecules lacking accessible d-orbitals (such as ozone) are hypervalent and violate the strict octet rule.
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More against · 2
Hypervalency in amorphous chalcogenides.
2022 · cited by 16
Research on amorphous chalcogenides (2022) establishes that hypervalency and multi-center bonding routinely occur in systems without accessible d-orbitals.
Spectroscopic Implications for [N-X-N]<sup>+</sup> (X = I, Br)-Type Halonium Compounds with Formal Hypervalency.
2025 · cited by 1
Spectroscopic studies of halonium compounds (2025) confirm the existence of formal hypervalency (such as 10-electron centers) in p-block elements lacking low-lying d-valency.