New Rare-Gas-Containing Neutral Molecules

Abstract

The synthesis of novel neutral rare-gas-containing molecules of type HXY, where × = Xe or Kr and Y is an electronegative atom or fragment, is discussed. The molecules are characterised experimentally by their vibrational spectra and computationally by extensive ab initio calculations. They are formed in low-temperature rare-gas solids from neutral reagents and their bonding consists of both covalent and ionic contributions. Our recent studies add to the previously known class of rare-gas chemical bonds in neutral ground-state molecules the new bonds Xe–H, Xe–I, Xe–Br, Xe–S, Kr–H, Kr–C, and Kr–Cl.