What is the formula of the hydride formed by krypton?

1 Answer
Ernest Z.
Nov 21, 2016

Krypton does not form covalent compounds with hydrogen.

Explanation:

However, at 25 °C and pressures greater than 5.3 GPa (52 000 atm) it forms a "van der Waals compound" called krypton hydride with the formula #"Kr"("H"_2)_4#.

The hydrogen atoms exist as hydrogen molecules that are attracted to the krypton atoms only by van der Waals forces.

upload.wikimedia.org

The #"Kr"# atoms arrange themselves into octahedra (green), and the octahedra are arranged in a face centred structure.

The hydrogen molecules (gray) are randomly oriented in four different types of "holes" between the octahedra.

Related questions
See all questions in Quick Introduction of Structures
Impact of this question
5678 views around the world
You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License