Octahedral Shape

[Emma Randolph 1J]

Why is the shape of a molecule,such as XeF4 octahedral when there are 6 parts of electron density?

[Katie_Duong_1D]

XeF4 has a molecular geometry of square planar (AX4E2) because there are 4 bonding pairs and 2 lone pairs on the Xe central atom. XeF4 has an electron geometry of octahedral (AX6) because there are 6 bonding regions. AX6 is called octahedral because an octahedron has eight faces.

[Hannah Yates 1K]

There are 6 areas of electron density, but only 4 bonding regions. This is because there are two electron pairs. The molecular geometry of the molecule is only dependent on the bonding regions. While the number of areas of electron density says thats the shape is octahedral, the actual shape is square planer.

[taryn_baldus2E]

XeF4 has an electron dispersion arrangement of octahedral due to its six regions of electron but since lone pairs are not shown in the molecular shape despite their influence, this molecule's molecular shape would be square planar, leaving the two lone pairs of electrons not drawn.

[Brian Cook]

XeF4 is in fact Square planar. It's VSEPR equation is AX4E2 because it has 4 bonding regions and 2 lone electron pairs. This formula will always yield the square planar shape.