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Disclaimer: Sorry if this is a noob question, I am a high school chem student.

So I was reading my textbook in preparation for the midterm, and it talked about exceptions to the octet rule.

I understand that they exist, and what they are, but how are the chemicals structurally stable?

I also know that they are reactive, but that still doesn't help.

How do they exist?

I was thinking something like only under high pressure/heat, but I can't find anything to back that up. Amazingly, google hasn't help.

Can somebody please explain?

  • Also, feel free to edit my tags. I am new here. –  Jan 15 '16 at 02:11
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    Octet rule is less absolute than you seem to think. Sure, it would be nice to have a full octet, but what if the electrons are just not there? Then we'll have to do without, that's all. – Ivan Neretin Jan 15 '16 at 05:49
  • Search for 'octet rule' here. There are a whole bunch of questions which will answer yours. – bon Jan 15 '16 at 08:35
  • related http://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/228/what-makes-banana-bonds-possible-in-diborane – Mithoron Jan 15 '16 at 12:13
  • @IvanNeretin Okay. I didn't know that, and assumed the atoms just wouldn't form a molecule in that case. –  Jan 15 '16 at 16:43

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