XeCl4 Lewis structure

XeCl₄ (xenon tetrachloride) has one xenon atom and four chlorine atoms.

In the XeCl₄ Lewis structure, there are four single bonds around the xenon atom, with four chlorine atoms attached to it. Each chlorine atom has three lone pairs, and the xenon atom has two lone pairs.

Alternative method: Lewis structure of XeCl₄

Contents

Rough sketch

First, determine the total number of valence electrons

In the periodic table, xenon lies in group 18, and chlorine lies in group 17.

Hence, xenon has eight valence electrons and chlorine has seven valence electrons.

Since XeCl₄ has one xenon atom and four chlorine atoms, so…

Valence electrons of one xenon atom = 8 × 1 = 8
Valence electrons of four chlorine atoms = 7 × 4 = 28

And the total valence electrons = 8 + 28 = 36

Learn how to find: Chlorine valence electrons

Second, find the total electron pairs

We have a total of 36 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 = 36 ÷ 2 = 18

Third, determine the central atom

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

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

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

And finally, draw the rough sketch

XeCl4 Lewis Structure (Step 1) — Rough sketch of XeCl₄ Lewis structure | Image: Learnool

Lone pair

Here, we have a total of 18 electron pairs. And four Xe — Cl bonds are already marked. So we have to only mark the remaining fourteen 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 chlorine is a period 3 element, so it can keep more than 8 electrons in its last shell.

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

So for each chlorine, there are three lone pairs, and for xenon, there are two lone pairs.

Mark the lone pairs on the sketch as follows:

XeCl4 Lewis Structure (Step 2) — Lone pairs marked, and got the stable Lewis structure of XeCl₄ | Image: Learnool

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 – 4 – ½ (8) = 0

For each chlorine atom, formal charge = 7 – 6 – ½ (2) = 0

Here, both xenon and chlorine atoms do not have charges, so no need to mark the charges.

Final structure

The final structure of XeCl₄ includes a central xenon atom linked to four chlorine atoms through single covalent bonds. In this configuration, the xenon atom utilizes an expanded valence shell to accommodate twelve electrons, which consist of four bonding pairs and two lone pairs. Within this layout, each of the four chlorine atoms successfully satisfies the octet rule by retaining three lone pairs alongside its single shared bond. This arrangement represents the most stable state for the molecule because it results in a formal charge of zero for every atom involved. Therefore, this specific electronic distribution serves as the definitive and most accurate Lewis representation of xenon tetrachloride.

Next: TeBr₄ Lewis structure

External video

XeCl4 Lewis Structure: How to Draw the Lewis Structure for XeCl4 (Xenon Tetrachloride) – YouTube • Wayne Breslyn

External links

Deep

Learnool.com was founded by Deep Rana, who is a mechanical engineer by profession and a blogger by passion. He has a good conceptual knowledge on different educational topics and he provides the same on this website. He loves to learn something new everyday and believes that the best utilization of free time is developing a new skill.