Directions: The following question is based on the paragraph given be...
The chemical nature of the compounds XeF4 and XeF6 is expected to be oxidising.
Explanation:
I. Introduction
- The noble gases are a group of elements that have closed-shell electronic configurations, meaning they have a stable electron arrangement.
- Under normal conditions, noble gases exist as monatomic gases, which means they exist as single atoms rather than molecules.
II. Low Boiling Points of Noble Gases
- The lighter noble gases, such as helium, neon, and argon, have very low boiling points.
- This is because the weak dispersion forces between the atoms are the only interatomic interactions present.
- Dispersion forces are the attractive forces between temporary dipoles that occur due to the movement of electrons in atoms.
- These weak forces result in low boiling points for the noble gases.
III. Xenon Compounds
- Xenon, being a noble gas, also forms compounds under certain conditions.
- The direct reaction of xenon with fluorine leads to a series of compounds with oxidation numbers of 2, 4, and 6.
- XeF4, for example, has xenon in the +4 oxidation state.
IV. Reactivity with Water
- XeF4 reacts violently with water to give XeO3.
- This reaction suggests that XeF4 is an oxidizing agent.
- Oxidizing agents are substances that accept electrons from other substances, causing them to undergo oxidation.
V. Preparation of XeO3
- XeO3 can also be prepared using XeF6 as the starting compound.
- This further supports the idea that XeF4 is an oxidizing agent.
- XeF6 has xenon in the +6 oxidation state.
VI. Rich Stereochemistry
- The compounds of xenon exhibit rich stereochemistry, meaning they have a variety of different geometric arrangements.
- The geometries of these compounds can be deduced by considering the total number of electron pairs in the valence shell of xenon.
- This is due to the ability of xenon to form multiple bonds and accommodate different arrangements of electron pairs.
VII. Conclusion
- Based on the information provided, the chemical nature of the compounds XeF4 and XeF6 is expected to be oxidizing.
- This is supported by their ability to react with water and their involvement in oxidation-reduction reactions.
Directions: The following question is based on the paragraph given be...
The oxidation state of Xe in XeF4 is +4 and in XeF6 is +6. These oxidation states of Xe are displayed only with elements with high electronegativity, like oxygen and fluorine. Since, Xe will have a tendency to get reduced, the nature of fluorides of xenon is expected to be oxidising.