CHAPTER 7.1: Structure and Bonding of the Neutral Chalcogens and Their Polyatomic Cations

This chapter summarizes the structure and bonding of allotropes of the neutral chalcogens as well as their homopolyatomic cations. Thus, after an introduction to the field and an overview to general physical and thermodynamic properties of the elemental clusters, a first bonding sections follows. This section highlights often observed interaction schemes and helps to understand the structure and bonding of all the species described in the later sections on molecular and polymeric polychalcogen compounds. The order within the chapter follows the number of chalcogen atoms.