quadruple bond

chemical bonding

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July 13, 2026

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A quadruple bond is a type of chemical bond involving four shared pairs of electrons between two atoms. While double and triple bonds are common, quadruple bonds are rare and have primarily been identified in metal cluster compounds, such as those involving rhenium.1

These bonds are formed through the overlap of atomic orbitals. A quadruple bond consists of one sigma bond, two pi bonds, and one delta bond. This complex arrangement of overlapping orbitals contributes to the bond's strength and rigidity. The existence of quadruple bonds is a specialized aspect of chemical bonding, often discussed within the framework of molecular orbital theory.12

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chemical bonding
Metal cluster compounds
…provide the only examples of quadruple bonds in chemistry. Apart from that, their bonding can be treated as a straightforward exercise in MO or VB theory. Indeed, a metal cluster can be regarded as an exceedingly tiny sample of metal, with insufficient atoms present for the molecular orbitals to form…
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…provide the only examples of quadruple bonds in chemistry. Apart from that, their bonding can be treated as a straightforward exercise in MO or VB theory. Indeed, a metal cluster can be regarded as an exceedingly tiny sample of metal, with insufficient atoms present for the molecular orbitals to form…
Read More