Xenon Fluoride Structure

The shape of a molecule is predicted by VSEPR theory from the total number of electron pairs around the central atom, both bonding and lone pairs. In XeF_4, xenon forms four bonds to fluorine and retains two lone pairs, giving six electron domains in total, which adopt an octahedral electron-pair arrangement. To minimise repulsion, the two lone pairs occupy opposite axial positions, leaving the four fluorine atoms in the equatorial plane. This produces a square planar molecular shape, with all four fluorine atoms in one plane at ninety-degree angles. The option tetrahedral ignores the lone pairs. The option trigonal bipyramidal corresponds to five electron domains, not six. The option octahedral describes the electron-pair geometry but not the molecular shape once the lone pairs are removed from the description. Predicting molecular shapes of noble-gas compounds with VSEPR is a JEE Advanced application from NCERT. Examiners frequently test whether a student can connect xenon tetrafluoride with the underlying principle rather than merely recalling an isolated fact. Plausibility check: placing the two lone pairs trans to each other in an octahedral framework leaves the four fluorines square planar, confirming the predicted shape.