In my search to understand the bonding in structures like $\ce{SF6}$ I found many sources that said it was because sulfur has d orbitals to accommodate an expanded octet, which made sense to me. But I also found sources like the paper by Reed and Weinhold (1986) that say d orbitals contribute very little to the bonding in $\ce{SF6}$. An alternative explanation is that $\ce{SF6}$ has three-center/two-electron bonds. What I don't understand is why compounds like $\ce{SF6}$, $\ce{ClF5}$, $\ce{PCl5}$ exist for third row element centers, but not $\ce{OF6}$ if it has nothing to do with d orbitals? References would be great.
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