13709-36-9 | XENON DIFLUORIDE

CAS:13709-36-9 | XENON DIFLUORIDE,Description

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  • Xenon difluoride is a solid at room temperature and can easily form crystals that readily sublime or grow on a slightly cooled wall of a containing vessel (Weeks, Chernick, & Matheson, 1962).

• Synthesis Analysis:

  • It was first prepared in pure form through the photochemically induced reaction of xenon and fluorine at room temperature (Weeks, Chernick, & Matheson, 1962).

• Molecular Structure Analysis:

  • XeF₂ has a body-centered tetragonal cell structure, with specific dimensions for the unit cell (Weeks, Chernick, & Matheson, 1962).

• Chemical Reactions and Properties:

  • Xenon difluoride forms complexes with various substances, indicating appreciable bond polarity. It shows reactivity with the XeF⁺₅ cation, evident from RAMAN spectra (Bartlett & Wechsberg, 1971).
  • XeF₂ is used as a fluorinating agent, reacting with methyl derivatives of p-block elements, showing a broad range of chemical reactions (Forster & Downs, 1985).

• Physical Properties Analysis:

  • It has a vapor pressure of about 2 mm at room temperature (Weeks, Chernick, & Matheson, 1962).
  • Under high pressure, XeF₂ shows increased coordination numbers and undergoes an insulator-to-metal transition (Peng et al., 2016).

• Chemical Properties Analysis:

  • XeF₂ serves as a fluoride ion donor in various chemical reactions. It forms salts like [Xe2F3]+[MF6]−, [XeF]+[MF6]−, and [XeF]+[M2F11]−, indicating its utility in synthesizing a range of fluoride-containing compounds (Sladky, Bulliner, & Bartlett, 1969).
  • It reacts with aromatic compounds to generate fluoroaromatic compounds and can react with carbon-carbon double and triple bonds to yield various fluorinated products (Filler, 1978).

Scientific Research Applications

• Analyzing Sulfur, Selenium, and Tellurium

  • Field : Analytical Chemistry
  • Application : Xenon difluoride is used to analyze sulfur, selenium, and tellurium in a number of compounds.

• Detection and Determination of Iodine

  • Field : Analytical Chemistry 
  • Application : Xenon difluoride is used for the detection and determination of the amount of iodine.
  • Method : It is very convenient for the detection and determination of very small amounts of iodine and iodide based on the oxidation of iodine to periodate.

• Production of Anticancer Drug

  • Field : Pharmaceutical Chemistry
  • Application : Its reaction with uracil is used for the production of the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil.

• Fluorinating Agent

  • Field : Synthetic Chemistry
  • Application : Xenon difluoride is a strong fluorinating agent.
  • Method : With fluoride ion acceptors, it forms XeF+ and Xe2F+3 species which are even more powerful fluorinators.

• Etchant for Silicon and Other Materials

  • Field : Material Science
  • Application : Xenon difluoride is used as an etchant for silicon and other materials.

• Fuel for Ion Engines

  • Field : Aerospace Engineering
  • Application : It is preferred to power spacecraft in deep space as fuel for ion engines.

• Fluorination and Oxidation of Hetero Elements in Organometallic Compounds

  • Field : Organometallic Chemistry
  • Application : Xenon difluoride is used to fluorinate and oxidize the hetero element in an organometallic compound, without affecting the alkyl or aryl groups.

• Detection and Determination of Small Quantities of Iodine and Iodide

  • Field : Analytical Chemistry
  • Application : Xenon difluoride is used for the detection and determination of small quantities of iodine and iodide, as it oxidizes iodine to periodate.

• Antiseptic

  • Field : Medical Science
  • Application : Xenon difluoride is employed to kill bacteria, power lasers and tracers as an antiseptic.
• Field : Organometallic Chemistry
• Application : Xenon difluoride is used to fluorinate and oxidize the hetero element in an organometallic compound, without affecting the alkyl or aryl groups.
• Field : Analytical Chemistry
• Application : Xenon difluoride is used for the detection and determination of small quantities of iodine and iodide, as it oxidizes iodine to periodate.
• Field : Medical Science
• Application : Xenon difluoride is employed to kill bacteria, power lasers and tracers as an antiseptic.

Safety And Hazards

Xenon difluoride is a hazardous chemical. It reacts with water moisture to form hydrofluoric acid. It should be stored away from reducing agents and any contamination of this material is potentially hazardous. Personal protective equipment/face protection should be worn when handling this chemical.

Future Directions

The landmark synthesis of a xenon compound in the early 1960s dispelled a long-standing myth about the reactivity of the noble gases and opened the door to the rich chemistry of these elements, studies of which continue today.

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Uses