Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Find the number of lone pairs on the central atom of each species. Valence electrons: iodine 7, xenon 8, sulphur 6 and chlorine 7. The species are (four chlorine atoms bonded) and (one oxygen atom with a double bond and four fluorine atoms). The others are , and . In the central iodine atom is bonded to two iodine atoms, each using one electron. In there are three oxygen atoms with double bonds and the charge is .
For the central atom, lone pairs , and the steric number is the number of bonded atoms plus the lone pairs. In a trigonal bipyramid a lone pair prefers an equatorial place, where it has fewer neighbours at 90°. The order of repulsion is lone pair-lone pair, then lone pair-bond pair, then bond pair-bond pair.
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. . .
Step 2. . The oxygen atom takes 2 and the four fluorine atoms take 4: .
Step 3. . .
Step 4. . .
Step 5. . .
Answer: 2, 1, 1, 3 and 1.
Check. Each is a whole number. A half would mean a mistake in the electron count.
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