Numford
Hybridisation

Hybridisation of XeO₄

Xe is sp³ hybridised (hybridization by the VSEPR count): 4 sigma bonds and no lone pairs give a tetrahedral shape, bond angle 109.5°.

OOXeOO
  • Xe
  • O

XeO₄Xenon tetroxide

Tetrahedral

AB₄: 4 bond pairs, no lone pairs

  • Hybridisationsp³
  • Bond angle109.5°
  • Polaritynon-polar

Why this shape

  1. Xe has 8 valence electrons. It uses eight in four double bonds to O, so none are left over.
  2. Steric number = four sigma bonds + no lone pairs = 4, so Xe is sp³ hybridised. A double or triple bond counts once: only its sigma bond uses a hybrid orbital.
  3. Four electron pairs point to the corners of a tetrahedron (tetrahedral electron geometry). With no lone pairs the atoms take the same shape: tetrahedral.
  4. All the bond pairs repel each other equally, so the angle is the ideal 109.5°.
  5. The bond dipoles cancel in the symmetric tetrahedral shape, so XeO₄ is non-polar.

Lewis structure

32 valence electrons
XeOOOO

Formal charges: none

Working

Why this hybridisation and shape

  1. Xe has 8 valence electrons. It uses eight in four double bonds to O, so none are left over.
  2. Steric number = four sigma bonds + no lone pairs = 4, so Xe is sp³ hybridised. A double or triple bond counts once: only its sigma bond uses a hybrid orbital.
  3. Four electron pairs point to the corners of a tetrahedron (tetrahedral electron geometry). With no lone pairs the atoms take the same shape: tetrahedral.
  4. All the bond pairs repel each other equally, so the angle is the ideal 109.5°.
  5. The bond dipoles cancel in the symmetric tetrahedral shape, so XeO₄ is non-polar.

Class 11, Chapter 4 Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure.

Questions

Hybridisation of XeO4: quick answers

What is the hybridisation of XeO4?

Xe has 8 valence electrons. It uses eight in four double bonds to O, so none are left over. Steric number = four sigma bonds + no lone pairs = 4, so Xe is sp³ hybridised. A double or triple bond counts once: only its sigma bond uses a hybrid orbital.

What is the shape of XeO4 and its bond angle?

Tetrahedral, with a bond angle of 109.5 degrees. Four electron pairs point to the corners of a tetrahedron (tetrahedral electron geometry). With no lone pairs the atoms take the same shape: tetrahedral. All the bond pairs repel each other equally, so the angle is the ideal 109.5°.

Is XeO4 polar or non-polar?

Non-polar. The bond dipoles cancel in the symmetric tetrahedral shape, so XeO₄ is non-polar.

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