Howdy, Texas Carbon (5 Bond Carbon Chemistry) (2024)

A Texas carbon is the name given to acarbon atomthat formsfivebonds.

The name Texas carbon comes from the shape formed by five bonds radiating outwards from the carbon similar to the star in the Texas state flag. Another popular idea is that the saying "Everything is bigger in Texas"applies to carbon atoms.

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What Type of Bonds Does Carbon Form?

By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

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Caesium - Key Stage Wiki

Although carbon usually forms 4 chemical bonds, it's possible (though rare) for 5 bonds to form. The carbonium ion and superacid methanium (CH₅⁺) is a gas that can be produced under low-temperature laboratory conditions.

CH₄ + H⁺ → CH₅⁺

Other examples of Texas carbon compoundshave been observed.

Sources

• Akiba, Kin-yaet al. (2005). "Synthesis and Characterization of Stable Hypervalent Carbon Compounds (10-C-5) Bearing a 2,6-Bis(p-substituted phenyloxymethyl)benzene Ligand." J. Am. Chem. Soc.127(16), pp 5893–5901.
• Pei,Yong; An,Wei; Ito, Keigo; von RaguéSchleyer, Paul;Zeng, Xiao Cheng (2008)."Planar Pentacoordinate Carbon in CAl⁵⁺: A Global Minimum." J. Am. Chem. Soc.,2008130(31), 10394-10400.