Halides

All halides EX₄ create tetrahedral molecules (point group Td). Mixed halides are termed, as well as partially and fully halogen-substituted catenated germanes, alkanes, silanes (example Ge₂Cl₆). Not like the carbon compounds, halides of Si and Ge are Lewis acids and readily form complexes like [SiF₆]^2-. Attack by Lewis bases frequently leads to decomposition, and so rapid hydrolysis in water, unlike carbon halides, that are kinetically more inert.

Divalent halides EX₂ can be made like reactive gas-phase species, except only for Ge are stable noncatenated Ge^II compounds created. They comprise polymeric structures with pyramidal coordination as with Sn^II. The compound CF formed through reaction of fluorine and graphite has one F atom bonded to each C, So disrupting the π bonding in the graphite layer but keeping the σ bonds and giving tetrahedral geometry regarding carbon.