Noble gas (Ng) atoms are the most unreactive elements in the periodic table. Initially, the statement that "the unreactivity of the noble gas elements belongs to the surest of all experimental results" became part of the mythology for Ngs. Sixty-four years after the discovery of Krypton, Neon, and Xenon, British chemist Neil Bartlett in 1962 synthesized xenon hexafluoroplatinate. This discovery initiated the removal of stigmas surrounding the absolute unreactivity of Ng and advanced the development of Ngs Chemistry at a swift pace. Within a short time span, the development of this field completely changed the perception toward the reactivity of Ng. Now, Xenon is considered quite a useful ligand for reactive targets. Presently, the complexes for all of the members in the Ng group are known; however, as one moves toward the top of the group, the required conditions for complex formation need to be altered. There is no doubt that the number of stable Ng compounds reported so far is significantly less than the other members of the periodic table.

In this Research Topic on “Changing the Perspectives of Noble Gas Reactivity”, we wish to enrich not only the gallery of stable noble gas compounds, but also improve our understanding about the bonding situation therein. As the study of reactivity of Ng compounds is almost unexplored, we welcome both experimental and/or theoretical contributions in this direction. Since several Ng compounds are stable only at low temperatures, low-temperature isolation and characterization of NgXY and Ng insertion compounds, XNgY, are highly welcome. From a theoretical point of view, our goal is to attain the prediction of new Ng compounds with a thorough thermochemical and kinetic stability study, as well as bonding analysis. Furthermore, confinement can induce extraordinary bonding situations in otherwise unbound Ng2 dimers; therefore, we wish to cover Ng encapsulated complexes with a special emphasis on their kinetic stability and bonding. Studies on Ng adsorption, their selective separation, and the effect of microsolvation on the stability and reactivity of Ng species are also highly desirable.

We welcome original research articles, perspectives, and review articles on the following types.
• van der Waals’ complexes of noble gases
• Binary and ternary compounds of noble gases, such as noble gas hydrides, halides, oxides, and oxofluorides, which are also considered ‘classical’ or ‘usual’ compounds of noble gases
• Insertion compounds of noble gas of XNgY type (where X and Y are any element or group)
• Non-insertion NgXY-type compounds
• Noble gas-inserted cage compounds
• Atom/ion-doped noble gas nanodroplets
• Reactivity of noble gas compounds
• Induction of bonding in Ng2 dimer
• Kinetics and dynamical studies on noble gas compounds
• Ng adsorption and their selective separation
• Microsolvation of Ng complexes

Image credit: R. Saha, G. Jana, S. Pan, G. Merino, P. K. Chattaraj, Molecules, 2019, 24, 2933 under Creative Commons Licence.

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