Final answer:
Valence bond theory does not accurately predict the bonding in SeO42− as it fails to fully describe the delocalized bonding and molecular orbitals in complex ions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Does valence bond theory accurately predict the bonding in SeO42−? The answer is No. Valence bond theory, which explains the number of bonds formed in a compound and the relative bond strengths through the overlapping of atomic orbitals, can sometimes fall short in accurately predicting the bonding in more complex molecules and ions such as SeO42−. For example, the SeO42− ion has a tetrahedral arrangement that cannot be fully described by simple overlap of atomic orbitals. The theory primarily considers sigma (σ) bonds formed by head-on overlap and pi (π) bonds formed by side-on overlap, but it does not effectively describe the delocalized bonding and molecular orbitals in polyatomic ions like SeO42−. To accurately describe the bonding in SeO42−, molecular orbital theory or a hybridization approach that considers the mixing of atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals is typically more appropriate.