1.

What inspired N. Bartlett for carrying out reaction between Xe and PtF_6?

Answer»

Solution : In 1962, N. Bartlett noticed that platinum hexafluoride, `PtF_6`is a powerful OXIDISING agent which combines with molecular oxygen to form ionic COMPOUND, dioxygenyl hexafluoroplatinate(V),` O_(2)^(+) [PtF_6]^(-)`
`O_2 (g) + PtF_6(g) overset("heat")(to) O_(2)^(+) [PtF_6]^(-)`
This indicates that `PtF_6`has oxidised `O_2` to `O_(2)^(+)`. Now oxygen and xenon have some SIMILARITIES.
(i) The first ionisation energy of xenon gas (1170 kJ `"mol"^(-1)`) is fairly close to that of oxygen (1166 kJ` "mol"^(-1)`).
(ii) The molecular diameter of oxygen and atomic radius of xenon are SIMILAR (4 Å). This prompted Bartlett to carry out the reaction between Xe and `PtF_6`. He found that Xe related with `PtF_6`EVEN in cold.
`Xe + PtF_6 to Xe^(+) [PtF_6]^(-)`


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