An infrared study of monomeric and oligomeric (n=2, 3, and 4) hydrogen chloride in liquified noble gases

Abstract

Infrared spectra (3100–2600 cm−1) of HCl dissolved in liquid argon (94–124 K), liquid krypton (117–167 K), and liquid xenon (161–221 K) at concentrations varying from 0.8×10−3 to 2.8×10−2 M are reported. At low concentrations in all three solvents, only the spectrum due to monomeric species is observed. For solutions in liquid argon, the observed rotational fine structure was assigned. For all solvents, the monomeric stretching frequency shows a linear relation to the relative density of the solvent, extrapolating to the dilute vapor phase frequency. At higher concentrations in liquid argon and liquid krypton, bands due to oligomeric species are found. Factor analysis shows at least three oligomeric species are present. The band profile analysis of the oligomer absorptions allows the assignment of observed bands to dimer, trimer, and tetramer. From the temperature dependence of the oligomer band intensities, the enthalpy difference for dimerization is found to be 3.78±0.33 kJ mol−1 in liquid argon and 5.09±0.55 kJ mol−1 in liquid krypton. The trimerization and tetramerization enthalpy differences in liquid argon were measured to be 12.6±1.9 and 18.7±3.2 kJ mol−1, respectively.