Xenon difluoride

The valence bond formula of XeF₂ with free electron pairs.

Xenon difluoride is a chemical compound with the formula XeF₂. This noble gas compound can be used as a good fluorinating agent. Xenon difluoride is the most stable compound of all xenon compounds.

The compound shows a trigonal bipyramidal pseudostructure or a linear real structure in VSEPR theory.

Xenon difluoride is solid in state of matter. It is achromatic (without color) and in crystal form. Under high pressure and temperature, the compound can be produced from xenon and fluorine directly.

$Xe+F_{2}\to XeF_{2}$

Xenon difluoride is used in organic syntheses as fluorinating agent.

Xenon difluoride can be destroyed by heating. It then results in the pure substances fluorine and xenon. This reactions happens explosively, even though that the enthalpy of reaction is negative ($\Delta _{\mathrm {f} }H^{o}=-163{\frac {kJ}{mol}}$). That is because the reaction changes the state of matter from solid to gas. The gas needs more space in room.

Further reading

• Synthesis, Properties and Chemistry of Xenon(II) Fluoride Archived 2013-05-12 at the Wayback Machine