Noble Gas in a Ring

Abstract

We have designed a new type of molecule with a noble gas (Ng = Kr and Xe) atom in a six-membered ring. Their structures and stability have been studied by density functional theory and by correlated electronic structure calculations. The results showed that the six-membered ring is planar with very short Ng–O and Ng–N polar covalent bonds. The calculated energy barriers for all the unimolecular dissociation pathways are higher than 20 and 35 kcal/mol for Ng = Kr and Xe, respectively. The current study suggests that these molecules and their derivatives might be synthesized and observable at cryogenic conditions.

Keywords

• noble-gas chemistry
• cyclic molecules
• stability of noble-gas molecules
• bonding of noble gas