Experimental bond lengths for the I4 2-anion are easily understood and justified within this context (3.3(1) Å -bonds 1-2 and 3-4, and 2.811(5) Å -bond 2-3 -CSD data on 30 deposited crystal structures cf. Supporting Information). These experimental results sustain the idea of a residual covalency even for the long bond separating formal I -and formal I2 fragments, advocating for a [I•I2•I] 2-picture rather than from a mere electrostatic explanation of the bond lengths.