Xenon octafluoride

Xenon octafluoride is a chemical compound of xenon and fluorine with the chemical formula. This is still a hypothetical compound. is predicted to be unstable even under pressures reaching 200 GPa.

History

The compound was initially predicted in 1933 by Linus Pauling—among other noble gas compounds but which, unlike other xenon fluorides, could probably never be synthesized. This appears to be due to the steric hindrance of the fluorine atoms around the xenon atom. However, scientists continue to try to synthesize it.

Potential synthesis

The formation of xenon octafluoride has been calculated to be endothermic:

Ion

The doubly charged anion octafluoroxenate XeF in which the oxidation number of xenon is only VI, is stable in salts.