Thermal decomposition of the HXeCl center dot center dot center dot H2O complex in solid xenon : Experimental characterization of the two-body decomposition channel

Abstract

The thermal decomposition process of HXeCl···H2O in solid Xe is studied, and HCl···H2O is identified as a decomposition product. The production is due to the two-body (2B) decomposition of HXeCl moiety, in agreement with theoretical predictions. Two types of 2B decomposition paths are predicted: catalytic and unimolecular 2B decompositions, where water molecule plays different roles. In an experiment to selectively produce HXeCl···D2O, only HCl···D2O is observed as a thermal decomposition product, indicating the occurrence of unimolecular 2B decomposition, where water molecule serves as a spectator. The activation energy for this decomposition process is experimentally determined to be 15 kJ mol−1.

The thermal decomposition process of HXeCl center dot center dot center dot H2O in solid Xe is studied, and HCl center dot center dot center dot H2O is identified as a decomposition product. The production is due to the two-body (2B) decomposition of HXeCl moiety, in agreement with theoretical predictions. Two types of 2B decomposition paths are predicted: catalytic and unimolecular 2B decompositions, where water molecule plays different roles. In an experiment to selectively produce HXeCl center dot center dot center dot D2O, only HCl center dot center dot center dot D2O is observed as a thermal decomposition product, indicating the occurrence of unimolecular 2B decomposition, where water molecule serves as a spectator. The activation energy for this decomposition process is experimentally determined to be 15 kJ mol(-1).