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Exercise · Q35

Q.How is XeF2\text{XeF}_2 prepared? Describe its structure and the hybridisation of xenon in it.

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Xenon difluoride is prepared by direct combination of xenon and fluorine gas, sealed together (typically in a nickel vessel, which forms its own passivating fluoride layer) in a Xe:F2 ratio of about 1:5, with the mixture exposed to sunlight: Xe+F2→sunlightXeF2\text{Xe} + \text{F}_2 \xrightarrow{\text{sunlight}} \text{XeF}_2 Structurally, XeF2\text{XeF}_2 is linear (F-Xe-F bond angle 180∘180^\circ). Xenon is sp3dsp^3d hybridised: of the five electron domains around it in the underlying trigonal bipyramid (two bonding pairs to fluorine, three lone pairs), the three lone pairs occupy the equatorial positions, since these positions have fewer, wider-angled neighbours and so minimise the overall lone pair-lone pair repulsion, leavi …

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