Is XeF4 violating the octet rule?

[scott_alexsk]

Is there any violation of the octet rule in the second period elements?
-scott

 

[Cesium]

Yes, beryllium typically bonds with 4 electrons (ie BeF2) and boron with 6 (BF3). Flourine is often involved in bonds that have more than 8 electrons (XeF4).

 

[movies]

Also the superoxide radical, O₂ with an extra electron. It's found in biological systems.

 

[Hootenanny]

Also the superoxide radical, O₂ with an extra electron. It's found in biological systems.

Just to add, this is a biradical, with an unpaired electron on each oxygen atom.

~H

 

[movies]

Just to add, this is a biradical, with an unpaired electron on each oxygen atom.

~H

You mean singlet oxygen? That's different. In that case you haven't added an electron, in superoxide you have one more electron than you do in the regular oxygen molecule.

Anyway, I think that I was wrong. You can draw a Lewis structure for superoxide radical where you have 3 lone pairs on one O and two lone pairs plus one electron on the other, with a bond between the two. In that resonance structure it's not an octet rule violation. My mistake.

 

[scott_alexsk]

What about S8?
-scott

 

[movies]

What about S8?
-scott

S is in the 3rd period...

Also, S8 is a ring of sulfur atoms, so there is no violation.

 

[malaygoel]

Why is octet configuration stable?

 

[Gokul43201]

It just is.

Careful quantum calculations show that there is a deep local minimum of the potential energy for filled ns and np subshells. There are also shallow local minima at half-filled subshells. These are just the results of very complex calculations and it's hard to simplify things - in my opinion - to any considerable extent without being "a little" dishonest.

 

[NateTG]

Nitrogen does interesting stuff as well - like in hydrazine

 

[malaygoel]

It just is.

Careful quantum calculations show that there is a deep local minimum of the potential energy for filled ns and np subshells. There are also shallow local minima at half-filled subshells. These are just the results of very complex calculations and it's hard to simplify things - in my opinion - to any considerable extent without being "a little" dishonest.

thanks Gokul
I would request you to explain the difference between a wave and a particle? How would you describe the behaviour of an electron as a wave(qualitatively)?

 

[Gokul43201]

Malay, this question is fairly unrelated to the rest of this thread.

I have a couple of suggestions for you.

1. Read post #3 in the Physics FAQ thread : https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=104715
It does not directly answer your question, but addresses some part of it.

2. If you still have something you want to ask, start a new thread in the appropriate Physics subforum - General Physics will work - and ask your question there.

 

[malaygoel]

Malay, this question is fairly unrelated to the rest of this thread.

I have a couple of suggestions for you.

1. Read post #3 in the Physics FAQ thread : https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=104715
It does not directly answer your question, but addresses some part of it.

2. If you still have something you want to ask, start a new thread in the appropriate Physics subforum - General Physics will work - and ask your question there.

Thanks for your help

 

[scott_alexsk]

Why does oxygen not form o8, since it is in the same family as sulfur?Also what about the Boranes?

 

[Gokul43201]

One reason is the steric strain. Larger atoms like S, Se, Te can more easily accommodate non-ideal bond angles that are necessary to make the ring structures.

What about the boranes? Yes, they do not satisfy octets in general (see post#2, by cesium). Also look into Wade's rules for constructing boranes with n electron pairs.

 

[Chumchum]

Does that mean that XeF4 follows the octet rule?

 

[dmoravec]

try and draw out the structure of XeF4 and count the electrons. If you draw the correct structure your question should be answered.