Question

Who among the following first prepared a stable compound of noble gas.
(a) Rutherford
(b) Rayleigh
(c) Ramsay
(d) Neil Bartlett

Answer 1

Hint: The compounds which are formed by an element of the noble gases are called noble gas compounds. Generally, in most cases noble gases are considered non-reactive. But in some cases, it is found that noble gas such as xenon can form the compound with other elements of the periodic table.

Complete Step by Step Solution:
Due to the presence of a stable \[n{s^2}n{p^6}\]electronic configuration, noble gases possess very high ionisation enthalpy as well as electron affinity. Due to this, noble gases have inert behaviour. Because noble gases have high ionisation enthalpy as well as electron affinity they can not lose or gain electrons i.e. they can not participate in chemical bonding.

The oxygen molecule (\[{O_2}\]) and xenon (\[Xe\]) are almost similar in ionisation energy i.e., \[1175{\rm{ }}kJmo{l^{ - 1}}\]and \[1170{\rm{ }}kJmo{l^{ - 1}}\]. Several attempts were made for the reactivity of noble gases by various people around the globe. But all trials were unsuccessful.

In March 1962, at the University of British Columbia, Neil Bartlett isolated a red colour compound of \[{O^{2 + }}Pt{F^{ - 6}}\]. After the isolation of \[{O^{2 + }}Pt{F^{ - 6}}\]he noticed that both oxygen molecule (\[{O_2}\]) and xenon (\[Xe\]) have almost similar ionisation energy. With the idea of the same ionisation energy Neil Bartlett successfully prepared the red colour compound (\[X{e^ + }Pt{F^{ - 6}}\]) by reaction the xenon with \[Pt{F_6}\].

After the discovery of \[X{e^ + }Pt{F^{ - 6}}\] various compounds of xenon were isolated with various elements such as fluorine and oxygen (\[Xe{F_2}\], \[Xe{F_4}\], \[Xe{F_6}\], \[Xe{O_3}\] and \[XeO{F_2}\]).

On the bases of compound forming ability, noble gases can be divided into the following two categories:
(1) Reactive noble gases: Krypton (\[Kr\]), Xenon (\[Xe\]), and Radon (\[Rn\]).
(2) Non-reactive noble gases: Argon (\[Ar\]), Neon (\[Ne\]), and Helium (\[He\]).
Except for all the noble gases Xenon (\[Xe\]) forms a maximum number of compounds.
Therefore from the above explanation we can say that option (d) will be the correct option:

Note: Among noble gases xenon forms the highest number of compounds. The compounds of Krypton (\[Kr\]) are very few. Only \[Kr{F_2}\] is known. The Radon (\[Rn\]) forms only \[Rn{F_2}\] .