Thermal Decomposition of the HXeCl···H2O Complex in Solid Xenon: Experimental Characterization of the Two-body Decomposition Channel

Abstract

isolation 2 HIGHLIGHTS • The HXeCl···H2O complex is thermally decomposed in solid Xe above 42 K.• Thermal decomposition product from HNgY molecules is identified for the first time.• The decomposition path is experimentally characterized as two-body decomposition.• Quantum-chemical calculations qualitatively reproduce the experimental results. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT ABSTRACTThe thermal decomposition process of HXeCl···H2O in solid Xe is studied, andHCl···H2O is identified as a decomposition product. The production is due to the twobody (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 .