The impact of multi-NMR spectroscopy on the development of noble-gas chemistry

The role of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the structural studies of xenon and krypton species has been essential to the development of noble-gas chemistry since the early 19F-NMR studies carried out in Ronald J. Gillespie's laboratory at McMaster University in the late 1960's and early 1970's. These early investigations of noble-gas species in strong acid media and subsequent multi-nuclear magnetic resonance (multi-NMR) studies utilizing 1H, 13C, 14N, 15N, 17O, 77Se, 125Te, 129Xe, and 131Xe as the observed nuclides have made possible numerous important advances of noble-gas chemistry, contributing to our knowledge and understanding of the fluoride ion donor–acceptor behavior of noble-gas fluorides and oxide fluorides, Lewis acid properties of noble-gas species and the structures of compounds containing novel XeC, XeN, XeO, KrN, and KrO bonds. Trends among NMR parameters have also proven useful in assessing the formal oxidation state of xenon and the relative covalent characters of noble gas–ligand bonds.