electron-counting rules

https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.ET07022
Rules establishing correspondence between the topology of a molecular structure and the number of electrons which may be placed into its bonding molecular orbitals. In the origin of various electron-counting rules lies a general assumption that the completeness of the @V06588@ electron shell of a molecular entity belonging to a certain structural type serves as the major criterion of @ST07109@.
Source:
PAC, 1999, 71, 1919. (Glossary of terms used in theoretical organic chemistry) on page 1936 [Terms] [Paper]