::*1 bonding MO at the center of the cluster and 5 antibonding MOs from the 6 sp-radial hybrid orbitals
::*6 bonding MOs and 6 antibonding MOs from the 12 tangential p-orbitals.
:The total skeletal bonding orbitals is therefore 7, i.e. {{nowrap|''n'' + 1}}.
{{clear}}
;Main group atom clusters
:The bonding in other main group cluster compounds follow similar rules as those described for the boron cluster bonding. The atoms at the vertex [[Orbital hybridisation|hybridize]] in a way which allows the lowest energy structure to form.
:The 18 framework molecular orbitals, (MOs), derived from the 18 boron atomic orbitals are:
:*1 bonding MO at the center of the cluster and 5 antibonding MOs from the 6 sp-radial hybrid orbitals
:*6 bonding MOs and 6 antibonding MOs from the 12 tangential p-orbitals.
:The total skeletal bonding orbitals is therefore 7, i.e. {{nowrap|''n'' + 1}}.
