cohalogen

A cohalogen is a chemical species that contains halogen atoms but is not a simple diatomic halogen molecule like Cl2 or Br2. These species can be molecular or ionic and often exhibit unusual bonding characteristics. Examples include interhalogen compounds like ICl or BrF3, which are formed between two different halogens. These compounds can be highly reactive and serve as useful reagents in organic synthesis. Another class of cohalogens are polyhalogen cations and anions, such as I3+ or I3-. These species are often encountered in solutions containing halogens and their salts. The bonding in polyhalogen ions can be described using molecular orbital theory, where delocalized bonding occurs over the multiple halogen atoms. The reactivity of cohalogens is influenced by the electronegativity differences between the halogen atoms and the overall charge of the species. They are important in various fields including chemistry research, material science, and analytical chemistry due to their unique properties.

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