Xenon oxytetrafluoride () is an
inorganic
An inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bondsthat is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemistry''.
Inor ...
chemical compound
A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...
. It is an unstable colorless liquid
with a melting point of
that can be synthesized by partial
hydrolysis
Hydrolysis (; ) is any chemical reaction in which a molecule of water breaks one or more chemical bonds. The term is used broadly for substitution reaction, substitution, elimination reaction, elimination, and solvation reactions in which water ...
of
, or the reaction of with
silica
Silicon dioxide, also known as silica, is an oxide of silicon with the chemical formula , commonly found in nature as quartz. In many parts of the world, silica is the major constituent of sand. Silica is one of the most complex and abundant f ...
or :
: + → + +
A high-yield synthesis proceeds by the reaction of with at .
Like most xenon oxides, it is extremely reactive, and it hydrolyses in water to give hazardous and corrosive products, including
hydrogen fluoride
Hydrogen fluoride (fluorane) is an Inorganic chemistry, inorganic compound with chemical formula . It is a very poisonous, colorless gas or liquid that dissolves in water to yield hydrofluoric acid. It is the principal industrial source of fluori ...
:
:2 + 4 → 2 + 8 + 3
In addition, some
ozone
Ozone () (or trioxygen) is an Inorganic compound, inorganic molecule with the chemical formula . It is a pale blue gas with a distinctively pungent smell. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope , break ...
and fluorine is formed.
Reactions
reacts with in the following steps:
: + → + 2
: + → + 2
The formed is a dangerous explosive, decomposing explosively to Xe and :
:2 → 2 + 3
In its liquid form, exhibits amphoteric behaviour, forming complexes with both strong Lewis bases like and strong Lewis acids like . It forms a 1:1 adduct with , isostructural with ·, as well as various heavy
alkali metal
The alkali metals consist of the chemical elements lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K),The symbols Na and K for sodium and potassium are derived from their Latin names, ''natrium'' and ''kalium''; these are still the origins of the names ...
fluorides.
The reaction of with provides a convenient synthesis route for .
See also
*
Xenon compounds
External links
*
References
{{Authority control
Oxyfluorides
Xenon(VI) compounds