The xenon compound which has more number of lone pairs in its central atom is

Options

A. `XeF_6`
B. `XeOF_4`
C. `XeF_4`
D. `XeO_3`

Answer

To determine which xenon compound has the most number of lone pairs on its central atom, we will analyze each of the given compounds: XeF6, XeOF4, XeF4, and XeO3.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Valence Electrons of Xenon**:
- Xenon (Xe) is a noble gas and has 8 valence electrons.

2. **Analyze Each Compound**:
- **XeF6**:
- Xenon forms 6 bonds with fluorine (F).
- Each F atom uses 1 electron from Xe, so 6 electrons are used for bonding.
- Remaining electrons: 8 - 6 = 2 electrons.
- These 2 electrons form 1 lone pair on xenon.

- **XeOF4**:
- Xenon forms 4 bonds with fluorine and 2 bonds with oxygen.
- 4 electrons are used for bonding with F and 2 for bonding with O, totaling 6 electrons used.
- Remaining electrons: 8 - 6 = 2 electrons.
- These 2 electrons form 1 lone pair on xenon.

- **XeF4**:
- Xenon forms 4 bonds with fluorine.
- 4 electrons are used for bonding with F.
- Remaining electrons: 8 - 4 = 4 electrons.
- These 4 electrons form 2 lone pairs on xenon.

- **XeO3**:
- Xenon forms 3 bonds with oxygen.
- 3 electrons are used for bonding with O.
- Remaining electrons: 8 - 3 = 5 electrons.
- These 5 electrons form 2 lone pairs and 1 single electron (which does not form a lone pair).

3. **Count the Lone Pairs**:
- **XeF6**: 1 lone pair
- **XeOF4**: 1 lone pair
- **XeF4**: 2 lone pairs
- **XeO3**: 2 lone pairs

4. **Conclusion**:
- The compounds XeF4 and XeO3 both have the highest number of lone pairs, which is 2. However, the question asks for the compound with the most lone pairs on the central atom, and since both have the same number, we can conclude that the answer is **XeF4** as it is the one explicitly mentioned with 2 lone pairs.

### Final Answer:
The xenon compound which has more number of lone pairs in its central atom is **XeF4**.