Question

Complete hydrolysis of XeF₄ and XeF₆results in the formation of XeO₃. Explain

Answer 1

• Hydrolysis is a common form of a chemical reaction where water is mostly used to break down the chemical bonds that exists between a particular substance.
• An oxidizing agent (often referred to as an oxidizer or an oxidant) is a chemical species that tends to oxidize other substances, i.e. cause an increase in the oxidation state of the substance by making it lose electrons.

(a) Complete hydrolysis of ${\mathrm{XeF}}_6$

• ${\mathrm{XeF}}_6$ is one of the three binary fluorides formed by the xenon.
• The complete hydrolysis of ${\mathrm{XeF}}_6$ produces ${\mathrm{XeO}}_3$ which is xenon trioxide.
• This xenon trioxide is highly explosive and acts as a powerful oxidizing agent in solution.
• ${\mathrm{XeF}}_6+3{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\to {\mathrm{XeO}}_3+6\mathrm{HF}$

(b) Complete hydrolysis of ${\mathrm{XeF}}_4$

• ${\mathrm{XeF}}_4$on partial hydrolysis produces xenon oxyfluoride $\left({\mathrm{XeOF}}_2\right)$.
• $6{\mathrm{XeF}}_4+12{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\to 4\mathrm{Xe}+2{\mathrm{XeO}}_3+24\mathrm{HF}+3{\mathrm{O}}_2$