valence-bond theory

valence-bond theory

[′vā·ləns ¦bänd ‚thē·ə·rē]

(chemistry)

A theory of the structure of chemical compounds according to which the principal requirements for the formation of a covalent bond are a pair of electrons and suitably oriented electron orbitals on each of the atoms being bonded; the geometry of the atoms in the resulting coordination polyhedron is coordinated with the orientation of the orbitals on the central atom.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.