Xenon Tetrafluoride

[Madelyn Cearlock]

Will someone please explain to me how Xenon in Xenon tetrafluoride has 6 regions of electron density?

[MichaelMoreno2G]

I've been asking myself the same thing. If someone can please clarify I would greatly appreciate it.

[Schem_student]

Xenon tetraflouride has 6 regions of electron density because of the two lone pairs on the central Xe in the lewis dot structure. If you add electrons of Xe(8 electrons) + 4 F (4x 7 electrons) = 36 electrons which could create 18 pairs. 16 pairs are taken by the bonding of Xe to the 4 Fluorines and to fufill the fluorines' octets. Then two more pairs are left to add to central atom creating a square planar molecular shape.

[ryanhon2H]

Xenon is in Period 5 which is after Period 3, so it can be an exception to the octet rule and have more regions of electron density, which allows it to have 6 regions of electron density for XeF₄