Weblink 1.5 The structure of diborane

The structure of diborane, B₂H₆, is unusual in that it appears to defy the normal rules of valency, in there are insufficient electrons to account for the bonds. In the structure, boron atoms are shown in yellow. There are two types of hydrogens: terminal (shown in white) and bridging (shown in pink). The bonding between the bridging hydrogens and the two borons cannot be described in terms of the sharing of electron pairs between just two atoms. Checking the box shows the B—H close contacts, but these are not conventional bonds.

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