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ScienceQuest

Xenon difluoride (XeF₂) Lewis structure

22 valence electrons, linear

Xe F F
XeF₂ as the Lewis Structure Generator draws it: lone pairs as dots.

Build XeF₂ step by step in the Lewis Structure Generator

What is the Lewis structure of XeF₂?

Xenon difluoride, XeF₂, has 22 valence electrons. Xenon is the central atom, joined by two Xe−F single bonds. It carries three lone pairs on the central Xe and three on each F. Every formal charge is zero. Xe is AX₂E₃: linear, with an ideal bond angle of 180°, and the molecule is nonpolar.

Valence electrons in XeF₂

Element Group Valence electrons Atoms Electrons
Xenon 18 8 1 8
Fluorine 17 7 2 14
Total 22

In one line: 8 + 2 × 7 = 22. Each atom brings the valence electrons its group gives it.

How to draw the XeF₂ Lewis structure

  1. Count the valence electrons. Valence electrons: Xe 8 and each F 7. 8 + 2 × 7 = 22.
  2. Choose the central atom. Xe goes in the middle: Xe is the least electronegative atom other than H, χ 2.60 against 3.98 for F.
  3. Join the atoms with single bonds. Two single bonds use 4 electrons, leaving 22 − 4 = 18.
  4. Complete the outer atoms. Each outer atom takes enough lone pairs to reach eight: 2 F × 6 = 12, leaving 18 − 12 = 6.
  5. Put the rest on the central atom. The 6 left go on the central atom as three lone pairs on Xe, and Xe now has 10 electrons round it. That is more than eight, which an atom from period 3 on can hold.
  6. Make multiple bonds where needed. Every atom already has an octet or more, so no lone pair needs to become a bond.

Lone pairs and formal charges in XeF₂

Atom Number Bonds Lone pairs Electrons round it Formal charge, V − N − B/2
Xe (central) 1 two single bonds 3 10 8 − 6 − 2 = 0
F 2 one single bond 3 8 7 − 6 − 1 = 0

V is the atom’s valence electrons, N its nonbonding electrons and B its bonding electrons. The formal charges add up to 0, the molecule’s overall charge.

Shape and polarity of XeF₂

Central atom Xe
VSEPR class AX₂E₃
Electron geometry trigonal bipyramidal
Molecular geometry linear
Ideal bond angle 180°
Measured bond angle 180°
Polarity, an estimate nonpolar

In a linear shape identical bonds cancel exactly.

Xe has two σ bonds and three lone pairs, five electron domains in all, so its electron geometry is trigonal bipyramidal. Counting only the bonded atoms, the molecular geometry is linear.

The VSEPR Molecular Geometry viewer turns the AX₂E₃ shape in 3D, lone pairs included.

The measured angle is the accepted experimental value the VSEPR viewer quotes for this molecule.

Work with XeF₂