Question

What type of compounds of noble gases were obtained prior to 1962?

Answer 1

1. Prior to 1962, noble gases were believed to be inert and could not form chemical compounds.
2. No true chemical compounds of noble gases were known before that time.
3. Only a few weakly bounded clathrate compounds of argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), and xenon (Xe) were obtained.
4. These clathrates were formed by physically trapping noble gas atoms in the vacant spaces of a crystal lattice.
5. The noble gas atoms did not form any chemical bonds in these compounds; they were held by weak van der Waals forces.
6. These compounds were prepared by passing noble gases through solutions of quinol under high pressure, followed by crystallisation.