Decafluorides

Decafluorides are chemical compounds with the general formula XF10, where X is a central atom. This formula indicates that the central atom is bonded to ten fluorine atoms. However, decafluorides are extremely rare and generally unstable under normal conditions. The existence of decafluorides for most elements is purely theoretical or has only been observed under extreme laboratory conditions, if at all.

The most well-known example, and often the one implied when discussing decafluorides, is decafluorodiphosphorus, P2F10. In this molecule, two phosphorus atoms are bonded to each other and each phosphorus atom is bonded to five fluorine atoms. P2F10 is a colorless liquid that is highly toxic and reactive. It decomposes readily, particularly in the presence of moisture, producing phosphorus oxyfluorides and hydrogen fluoride. Due to its hazardous nature, P2F10 is not used in commercial applications and its study is primarily limited to research settings. Other hypothetical decafluorides are not well-characterized and their synthesis and properties are largely speculative.