XeO4 Lewis structure

XeO₄ (xenon tetroxide) has one xenon atom and four oxygen atoms.

In the XeO₄ Lewis structure, there are four double bonds around the xenon atom, with four oxygen atoms attached to it, and on each oxygen atom, there are two lone pairs.

Alternative method: Lewis structure of XeO₄

Rough sketch

• First, determine the total number of valence electrons

In the periodic table, xenon lies in group 18, and oxygen lies in group 16.

Hence, xenon has eight valence electrons and oxygen has six valence electrons.

Since XeO₄ has one xenon atom and four oxygen atoms, so…

Valence electrons of one xenon atom = 8 × 1 = 8
Valence electrons of four oxygen atoms = 6 × 4 = 24

And the total valence electrons = 8 + 24 = 32

Learn how to find: Oxygen valence electrons

• Second, find the total electron pairs

We have a total of 32 valence electrons. And when we divide this value by two, we get the value of total electron pairs.

Total electron pairs = total valence electrons ÷ 2

So the total electron pairs = 32 ÷ 2 = 16

• Third, determine the central atom

We have to place the least electronegative atom at the center.

Since xenon is less electronegative than oxygen, assume that the central atom is xenon.

Therefore, place xenon in the center and oxygens on either side.

• And finally, draw the rough sketch

Lone pair

Here, we have a total of 16 electron pairs. And four Xe — O bonds are already marked. So we have to only mark the remaining twelve electron pairs as lone pairs on the sketch.

Also remember that xenon is a period 5 element, so it can keep more than 8 electrons in its last shell. And oxygen is a period 2 element, so it can not keep more than 8 electrons in its last shell.

Always start to mark the lone pairs from outside atoms. Here, the outside atoms are oxygens.

So for each oxygen, there are three lone pairs, and for xenon, there is zero lone pair because all twelve electron pairs are over.

Mark the lone pairs on the sketch as follows:

Formal charge

Use the following formula to calculate the formal charges on atoms:

Formal charge = valence electrons – nonbonding electrons – ½ bonding electrons

For xenon atom, formal charge = 8 – 0 – ½ (8) = +4

For each oxygen atom, formal charge = 6 – 6 – ½ (2) = -1

Here, both xenon and oxygen atoms have charges, so mark them on the sketch as follows:

The above structure is not a stable Lewis structure because both xenon and oxygen atoms have charges. Therefore, reduce the charges (as below) by converting lone pairs to bonds.

Convert a lone pair of the oxygen atom to make a new Xe — O bond with the xenon atom as follows:

Since there are charges on xenon and oxygen atoms, again convert a lone pair of the oxygen atom to make a new Xe — O bond with the xenon atom as follows:

There are still charges on xenon and oxygen atoms, so again convert a lone pair of the oxygen atom to make a new Xe — O bond with the xenon atom as follows:

There are still charges on xenon and oxygen atoms, so again convert a lone pair of the oxygen atom to make a new Xe — O bond with the xenon atom as follows:

Final structure

The final structure of XeO₄ includes a central xenon atom connected to four oxygen atoms through double covalent bonds. In this configuration, the xenon atom serves as an exception to the octet rule, utilizing an expanded valence shell to accommodate sixteen electrons through four double bonds. Each oxygen atom satisfies its octet by retaining two lone pairs alongside its double bond with the central atom. This arrangement is the most stable because it results in formal charges of zero for all atoms involved, representing the most energetically favorable state for the molecule. Consequently, this specific electronic distribution serves as the definitive and most accurate Lewis representation of xenon tetroxide.

Next: CNO^– Lewis structure

External video

• XeO4 Lewis Structure – How to Draw the Lewis Structure for XeO4 – YouTube • Wayne Breslyn

External links

• https://techiescientist.com/xeo4-lewis-structure/
• https://topblogtenz.com/xeo4-lewis-structure-molecular-geometry-polar-or-nonpolar-hybridization/
• https://lambdageeks.com/xeo4-lewis-structure/