Commentary on the Models of Electronegativity

Abstract

The concept of electronegativity is one of the most relevant concepts in the chemical sciences from the second half of the past century. It is used to understand the polarity of bonds, bond dipole moments, and bond energy differences, as well as to get a qualitative understanding of chemical processes. Electronegativity is not a physical observable, so it cannot be determined experimentally. This has led to the development of different formulations that are featured in both scientific papers and chemistry textbooks. On the basis of an article published in this Journal by Hurst, we analyze the recommendation made by the author concerning this topic from a scientific-philosophical viewpoint.