Evaluation and test of Pauling's electronegativity scale

We first state simple rules which all electronegative scales must obey and apply these to Pauling's scale. Second, we investigate Pauling's bond energy-bond polarity equations and similar expressions that better reflect the additivity of energy. These relationships are then tested against many groups of molecules (including all of those previously tested by other research groups). Pauling chi is found to violate more than half of the elementary rules appropriate to chi scales. We also find that even the best form of the bond energy-bond polarity equation can only be satisfied by a very limited range of molecules and the form used by Pauling is only valid for a small number of bonds with low polarities.