Xenon oxyfluoride, XeOF₄, is one of the few stable noble-gas compounds. The molecule contains a central xenon atom bonded to one oxygen atom and four fluorine atoms; xenon also possesses one lone pair of electrons.
Respond to the following prompts about XeOF₄.
(a) Draw a complete Lewis electron–dot diagram for XeOF₄, showing all lone pairs and formal charges that satisfy the octet rule where applicable.
(b) Identify the hybridization state of the xenon atom.
(c) Predict the three-dimensional molecular geometry around xenon and specify which positions (axial or equatorial) are occupied by the oxygen and fluorine atoms in the lowest-energy arrangement.
(d) Justify your answer to part (c) by discussing how the placement of the lone pair influences the spatial arrangement of the bonded atoms and the resulting F–Xe–F bond angles.