in bartlett reaction , he prepared xenon hexafluroplatinate. But xe is nobel gas and doesnt contain any unpaired electrons so how can it react at all?
Dear Stutee Raja,
Initially Bartlett and lohman reacted PtF6 with O2 and obtained a compound/complex O2+[PtF6]-. The first ionisation energy of O2 is 1165 kJ/mol and is similar to Xe (I.P. of Xe to Xe+ is 1170 kJ/mol).
In the same way they reacted Xe with PtF6 and thought that they obtained xenon hexafluroplatinate but later on it was found that the product was a complex [XeF]+[Pt2F11]-.
So the concept is that when Xe reacted with fluorine which is highly oxidizing and can remove e from Xe hence Xe can react with any strong oxidising agents like F2 and O2 or their compounds.
After this discovery there are many compound/complex of Xe has been reported with F2 and O2
Regards
Initially Bartlett and lohman reacted PtF6 with O2 and obtained a compound/complex O2+[PtF6]-. The first ionisation energy of O2 is 1165 kJ/mol and is similar to Xe (I.P. of Xe to Xe+ is 1170 kJ/mol).
In the same way they reacted Xe with PtF6 and thought that they obtained xenon hexafluroplatinate but later on it was found that the product was a complex [XeF]+[Pt2F11]-.
So the concept is that when Xe reacted with fluorine which is highly oxidizing and can remove e from Xe hence Xe can react with any strong oxidising agents like F2 and O2 or their compounds.
After this discovery there are many compound/complex of Xe has been reported with F2 and O2
Regards