Editing Molybdenum (section)

===Chemical properties===
Molybdenum is a [[transition metal]] with an [[electronegativity]] of 2.16 on the [[Pauling scale]]. It does not visibly react with oxygen or water at room temperature, but is attacked by halogens and hydrogen peroxide. Weak oxidation of molybdenum starts at {{convert|300|°C|°F}}; bulk oxidation occurs at temperatures above 600&nbsp;°C, resulting in [[molybdenum trioxide]]. Like many heavier transition metals, molybdenum shows little inclination to form a cation in aqueous solution, although the Mo<sup>3+</sup> cation is known to form under carefully controlled conditions.<ref>{{cite book |last=Parish |first=R. V. |date=1977 |title=The Metallic Elements |url=https://archive.org/details/metallicelements0000pari|url-access=registration |location=New York |publisher=Longman |pages=[https://archive.org/details/metallicelements0000pari/page/112 112], 133 |isbn=978-0-582-44278-8 }}</ref>

Gaseous molybdenum consists of the diatomic species Mo<sub>2</sub>.  That molecule is a [[singlet state|singlet]], with two unpaired electrons in bonding orbitals, in addition to 5 conventional bonds.  The result is a [[sextuple bond]].<ref>{{cite journal|title = The Many Ways To Have a Quintuple Bond|first1= Gabriel|last1= Merino|first2= Kelling J.|last2= Donald|first3= Jason S.|last3= D’Acchioli|first4= Roald|last4= Hoffmann|journal = [[J. Am. Chem. Soc.]]|year = 2007|volume = 129|issue = 49|pages = 15295–15302|doi = 10.1021/ja075454b|pmid = 18004851}}</ref><ref name="Roos">{{cite journal|last1=Roos|first1=Björn O.|last2=Borin|first2=Antonio C.|author3=Laura Gagliardi|year=2007|title=Reaching the Maximum Multiplicity of the Covalent Chemical Bond|url=https://www.academia.edu/13598187|journal=[[Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.]]|volume=46|issue=9|pages=1469–1472|doi=10.1002/anie.200603600|pmid=17225237}}</ref>