Custom Search Lewis Dot of the Perchlorate Ion ClO4- Chlorine does not follow the octet rule. It will hold more than 8 electrons. Chlorine having valence electrons in the 3rd energy level, will also have access to the 3d sublevel, thus allowing for more than 8 electrons. Elements in the first 2 periods of the Periodic Table do not have access to the d sublevel and must adhere to the octet (or duet H and He) rule.. The perchlorate ion cannot be satisfactorily represented by just one Lewis Dots structure. The VSEPR predicts a tetrahedral shape. All the bonds are the same length and must be thought of as a hybrid of multiple resonance structures.
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