Is selenium tetrafluoride an ionic or covalent bond?

Synthesis

The first reported synthesis of selenium tetrafluoride was by Paul Lebeau in 1907, who treated selenium with fluorine:[1]

Se + 2 F2 → SeF4

A synthesis involving more easily handled reagents entails the fluorination of selenium dioxide with sulfur tetrafluoride:[2]

SF4 + SeO2 → SeF4 + SO2

An intermediate in this reaction is seleninyl fluoride (SeOF2).

Other methods of preparation include fluorinating elemental selenium with chlorine trifluoride:

3 Se + 4 ClF3 → 3 SeF4 + 2 Cl2

Structure and bonding

Selenium in SeF4 has an oxidation state of +4. Its shape in the gaseous phase is similar to that of SF4, having a see-saw shape. VSEPR theory predicts a pseudo-trigonal pyramidal disposition of the five electron pairs around the selenium atom. The axial Se-F bonds are 177 pm with an F-Se-F bond angle of 169.2°. The two other fluorine atoms are attached by shorter bonds (168 pm), with an F-Se-F bond angle of 100.6°. In solution at low concentrations this monomeric structure predominates, but at higher concentrations evidence suggests weak association between SeF4 molecules leading to a distorted octahedral coordination around the selenium atom. In the solid the selenium center also has a distorted octahedral environment.

Reactions

In HF, SeF4 behaves as a weak base, weaker than sulfur tetrafluoride, SF4 (Kb= 2 X 10−2):

SeF4 + HF → SeF3+ + HF2−; (Kb = 4 X 10−4)

Ionic adducts containing the SeF3+ cation are formed with SbF5, AsF5, NbF5, TaF5, and BF3.[3] With caesium fluoride, CsF, the SeF5− anion is formed, which has a square pyramidal structure similar to the isoelectronic chlorine pentafluoride, ClF5 and bromine pentafluoride, BrF5.[4] With 1,1,3,3,5,5-hexamethylpiperidinium fluoride or 1,2- fluoride, the SeF62− anion is formed. This has a distorted octahedral shape which contrasts to the regular octahedral shape of the analogous SeCl62−. [5]

Explanation:

elements make up everything, and they combine to make compounds.

the answer is c

a. energy is absorbed in the reaction.

if in a given reaction the energy of products is greater than the energy of reactants it means that reaction is endothermic and during the reaction, the energy is absorbed by reactants. in an endothermic reaction, the products have more stored chemical energy than the reactants. and in this reaction the reactants are more stable than products before the compounds with less energy are always more stable.