Question

Xenon is a noble gas that is capable of forming compounds. One of these compounds is XeBr₂Cl₂. The molecule has 6 electron domains. What is the electron domain geometry for XeBr₂Cl₂?

Answer 1

The electron domain geometry for XeBr₂Cl₂ with 6 electron domains is octahedral according to VSEPR theory, but the actual molecular geometry will be square planar.

Step-by-step explanation:

Electron Domain Geometry for XeBr₂Cl₂:

The molecule XeBr₂Cl₂ has 6 electron domains. To determine the electron domain geometry, we need to consider both the bonding and non-bonding electron pairs around the central Xenon atom. The Lewis electron structure for XeBr₂Cl₂ shows that there are 2 lone pairs and 2 bonded pairs of electrons around the Xenon atom. Using the VSEPR theory, we can determine that the electron domain geometry for XeBr₂Cl₂ is

tetrahedral

.