Question

Calculate the number of lone pairs on central atom in the following molecule and predict the geometry.
XeF4

Answer 1

structure of XeF4,

So the lone pair = 2

Answer 2

The number of lone pairs on the central atom of XeF4 is equal to two and the geometry of XeF4 is square planar in nature.

• Xenon is a noble gas and it contains eight electrons in is outermost orbital while Fluorine need only one electron to complete octet hence, Xenon and fluorine forms single bonds.
• The four electrons of xenon are bonded to four fluorine atoms while the rest four are seen as two sets of lone pairs.
• The bond pairs and lone pairs in XeF4 are arranged in an octahedral manner hence the lone pairs are axially opposite to minimize repulsion, which makes the shape of XeF4 square planar.