Covalentistas

Covalentistas is a term used primarily in Portuguese-language contexts to describe researchers who specialize in covalent bonding and covalent chemistry. It is not a formal designation in chemical nomenclature, but an informal descriptor that may appear in educational texts, lectures, or discussions to emphasize a covalent perspective on chemical bonding.

The word is formed from covalente (covalent) and the suffix -istas, which denotes practitioners or adherents. In practice, covalentistas are scientists who study how atoms share electron pairs, the nature of covalent bonds, and the consequences for reactivity and structure.

Fields often associated with covalentistas include organic chemistry, organometallic chemistry, polymer chemistry, and biochemistry, where covalent bonds underpin molecular architecture and function. Their work covers bond formation and breaking, reaction mechanisms, stereochemistry, and the interpretation of bonding using models such as valence bond theory, molecular orbital theory, and resonance.

Common techniques used by covalentistas include X-ray crystallography, NMR and infrared spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and computational methods such as quantum chemistry calculations and molecular modeling. These tools help elucidate covalent bond lengths, strengths, and electronic structures.

Historically, the concept of covalence emerged in the early 20th century with contributions by chemists such as Gilbert N. Lewis and Linus Pauling. The term Covalentistas, however, is an informal label rather than a formal society or discipline. It is primarily encountered in educational contexts or informal discourse to highlight covalent-centered approaches.