Question

In `"XeF"_3"O"^-`, does the oxygen occupy the axial position in the trigonal bipyramidal or the equatorial position? and why?

Answer 1

Here's what I get.

I think you have made a mistake with your Lewis structure.

In `"XeF"_3"O"^"-"`, the number of valence electrons is `"8 + 3×7 + 6 + 1 = 36"`

If we give each terminal atom an octet, the central `"Xe"` atom must have two lone pairs.

The Lewis structure is

Thus, the electron geometry is octahedral with the lone pairs occupying the axial positions.

The molecular geometry is approximately square planar.