1. Consider number of bonds for each element using table below and H=1 bond
| Group # | IVA | VA | VIA | VIIA | VIIIA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #e in OEL (Bohr Orbit) | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| # bonds formed | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
2. Bond together those elements that form more than one bond
3. Place hydrogens or Group VII elements around unfilled bond sites
4. If not enough hydrogens, then use multiple bonds
5. May need to rearrange some H's or VII's after adding multiple bonds in order so satisfy item 1 above.
