Which of the possible following florides of xenon is impossible ?

Options

A. `XeF_(2)`
B. `XeF_(4)`
C. `XeF_(6)`
D. `XeF_(3)`

Explanation

To determine which of the fluorides of xenon is impossible, we need to analyze the steric numbers and hybridization of each compound. Let's go through the options step by step.

### Step 1: Analyze XeF2
- **Valence Electrons**: Xenon has 8 valence electrons.
- **Fluorine Atoms**: There are 2 fluorine atoms, each contributing 1 electron.
- **Steric Number Calculation**:
\[ \text{Steric Number} = \frac{\text{Valence Electrons} + \text{Number of Monovalent Atoms}}{2} = \frac{8 + 2}{2} = 5 \]
- **Hybridization**: The hybridization corresponding to a steric number of 5 is sp³d.
- **Conclusion**: XeF2 is possible.

### Step 2: Analyze XeF4
- **Valence Electrons**: Xenon has 8 valence electrons.
- **Fluorine Atoms**: There are 4 fluorine atoms.
- **Steric Number Calculation**:
\[ \text{Steric Number} = \frac{8 + 4}{2} = 6 \]
- **Hybridization**: The hybridization for a steric number of 6 is sp³d².
- **Conclusion**: XeF4 is possible.

### Step 3: Analyze XeF6
- **Valence Electrons**: Xenon has 8 valence electrons.
- **Fluorine Atoms**: There are 6 fluorine atoms.
- **Steric Number Calculation**:
\[ \text{Steric Number} = \frac{8 + 6}{2} = 7 \]
- **Hybridization**: The hybridization for a steric number of 7 is sp³d³.
- **Conclusion**: XeF6 is possible.

### Step 4: Analyze XeF3
- **Valence Electrons**: Xenon has 8 valence electrons.
- **Fluorine Atoms**: There are 3 fluorine atoms.
- **Steric Number Calculation**:
\[ \text{Steric Number} = \frac{8 + 3}{2} = \frac{11}{2} = 5.5 \]
- **Conclusion**: A fractional steric number (5.5) is not possible, indicating that XeF3 cannot be formed.

### Final Answer
The impossible fluoride of xenon is **XeF3**.

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