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Which xenon fluorides were prepared after Neil Bartlettâs discovery?
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noble gas
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Following Neil Bartlettâs 1962 discovery of the first noble-gas compound, three stable xenon fluorides were identified and prepared:
- Xenon difluoride (XeFâ): A linear, symmetric molecule that is the easiest of the three to prepare.1
- Xenon tetrafluoride (XeFâ): A square planar molecule.1
- Xenon hexafluoride (XeFâ): A distorted octahedral molecule in the gas phase.1
Shortly after Bartlettâs initial report, two independent teams of chemists successfully prepared and reported XeFâ and XeFâ. These compounds are stable, colorless, crystalline solids that can be sublimed under vacuum. While these are the primary stable fluorides, other short-lived monohalides such as XeF have also been produced in the gas phase for use in lasers.21