In chemistry, subhalide usually refers to inorganic compounds that have a low ratio of halide to metal, made possible by metal–metal bonding (or element–element bonding for nonmetals), sometimes extensive. Many compounds meet this definition.
Examples The normal halide of boron is . Boron forms many subhalides: several , including ; also BF. Aluminium forms a variety of subhalides. For gallium, adducts of are known. Phosphorus subhalides include , , and (structurally related to ). For bismuth, the compound originally described as bismuth monochloride was later shown to consist of clusters and chloride anions. There are many tellurium subhalides, including , (X = Cl, Br, I), and two forms of TeI.Zhengtao Xu "Recent Developments in Binary Halogen–Chalcogen Compounds, Polyanions and Polycations" in Handbook of Chalcogen Chemistry: New Perspectives in Sulfur, Selenium and Tellurium, Francesco Devillanova, Editor, 2006, RSC. pp. 381-416. Royal Society
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