<p>Not sure this is appropriate for Earth Science SE (Chemistry SE would be a better fit), but the answer is &quot;maybe&quot;.  quoting from <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenon" rel="nofollow noreferrer">the same Wikipedia article</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Three oxides of xenon are known: xenon trioxide (<span class="math-container">$\small\mathsf{XeO_3)}$</span> and xenon
tetroxide <span class="math-container">$\small\mathsf{(XeO_4)}$</span>, both of which are dangerously explosive and powerful
oxidizing agents, and <strong>xenon dioxide <span class="math-container">$\small\mathsf{(XeO_2)}$</span></strong>, which was reported in
2011 with a coordination number of four.[97] <span class="math-container">$\small\mathsf{XeO_2}$</span> forms when xenon
tetrafluoride is poured over ice. <strong>Its crystal structure may allow it
to replace silicon in silicate minerals.[98]</strong> The <span class="math-container">$\small\mathsf{XeOO^+}$</span> cation has
been identified by infrared spectroscopy in solid argon.[<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21341650/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">99</a>]</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Cited references</p>
<p>97.
Bell, C.F. (2013). Syntheses and Physical Studies of Inorganic Compounds. Elsevier Science. p. 143. ISBN 9781483280608.</p>
<p>98.
Cockett, A.H.; Smith, K.C.; Bartlett, N. (2013). The Chemistry of the Monatomic Gases: Pergamon Texts in Inorganic Chemistry. Elsevier Science. p. 292. ISBN 9781483157368.</p>
<p>99.
Brock, D.S.; Schrobilgen, G.J. (2011). &quot;Synthesis of the missing oxide of xenon, XeO2, and its implications for earth's missing xenon&quot;. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 133 (16): 6265–9. doi:10.1021/ja110618g. PMID 21341650.</p>
<p>Evidence is given in <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2018GC007779" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Crepisson et al (2019)</a> for xenon (as <span class="math-container">$\small\mathsf{XeO_2}$</span>) incorporation into silica at high pressure.  XRD measurements show changes in the lattice consistent with xenon substituting for silicon in the oxide structure.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-05T03:23:12.620Z
Can you find specific answers to "How/where has this been observed, and what is the evidence of covalent bonding?" I'd assumed that "quarts" refers to a mineral, not simply the chemical SiO2. Am I wrong?
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-05T03:24:08.753Z
Quartz.  Wikipedia does give a reference [98] in the article to the possible presence of Xe in silicate structures, so I would look that up.
Oscar Lanzi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-05T03:30:33.113Z
I may ask a chemistry question later, but right now I'm asking about xenon being bonded to oxygen within *terrestrial quarts minerals*. Maybe "go look that up" is not the best response?
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-06T21:43:41.333Z
This is a really interesting experimental study showing that Xe can be in quartz, but there's the question of whether this actually occurs in nature.
Gimelist
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-12-11T10:36:36.247Z
I've added a bounty; if you have a chance to add anything there it would be great!
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-03T01:52:09.957Z
@Fred `$cool!$ oh, I mean $\small\mathsf{cool!}$` I like how that works, thank you!
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-07T22:38:12.520Z
@uhoh I stumbled upon this old answer and am wondering how it is (or if it still is) link only?
Oscar Lanzi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-08T01:03:29.183Z
In order to know **How** or **Where** Xe is observed to be covalently bonded to oxygen as well as **What the evidence is**, each reader will have to go to your link to (Crepisson et al. 2019) and search for that information there. These are not explained in the text of your answer, you just provide a link where the answer might be, so it's still a link-only answer. See the two sentences at the end of my question post labeled "**Question:**"
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-08T01:07:40.067Z
Just fyi: I noticed that the original answer was posted by https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/users/15362/oscar-lanzi and there is a pending edit by a newer user https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/users/20607/oscar-lanzi If those are both you and you can still access the first user name login, there is a Stack Exchange process to merge the two IDs, reputation, and ability to edit posts.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-12T02:33:34.387Z
I'm not condemning anything, just looking for an answer to my question as asked.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-05T03:17:47.573Z
2020-07-11T13:43:23.767Z
2020-07-11T13:43:23.767Z
Oscar Lanzi
<p>Wikipedia's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenon#Occurrence_and_production" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Xenon; occurrence and production</a> says</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Within the Solar System, the nucleon fraction of xenon is <span class="math-container">$\small\mathsf{1.56 \times 10^{-8}}$</span>, for an abundance of approximately one part in 630 thousand of the total mass. Xenon is relatively rare in the Sun's atmosphere, on Earth, and in asteroids and comets. The abundance of xenon in the atmosphere of planet Jupiter is unusually high, about 2.6 times that of the Sun. This abundance remains unexplained, but may have been caused by an early and rapid buildup of planetesimals—small, subplanetary bodies—before the heating of the presolar disk. (Otherwise, xenon would not have been trapped in the planetesimal ices.) <strong>The problem of the low terrestrial xenon may be explained by covalent bonding of xenon to oxygen within quartz</strong>, reducing the outgassing of xenon into the atmosphere.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I know that crystals can provide unusual amounts of local pressure. For example, <a href="https://space.stackexchange.com/a/33570/12102">this answer</a> explains that ice VII has been discovered at room temperature as inclusions in diamonds.</p>

<p><strong>Question:</strong> But I'm still surprised to read about covalent bonding of xenon with oxygen within quartz. How/where has this been observed in naturally occurring mineral or rock, and what is the evidence of covalent bonding?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-05T06:53:36.337Z
This may have some helpful information but it's paywalled so I won't be able to read it for the next few days: *Retention of Xenon in Quartz and Earth's Missing Xenon* http://science.sciencemag.org/content/310/5751/1174
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-21T23:54:19.243Z
There's also the option of Xe bonding with iron oxides: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19107-y
Gimelist
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-22T00:25:25.433Z
@Gimelist thank you for that, I'll read it today!
uhoh
<geochemistry><crystals><crystallography><gas>
Does Xenon really covalently bond to oxygen within quartz?
uhoh
# Does Xenon really covalently bond to oxygen within quartz?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-03-05)

Wikipedia's [Xenon; occurrence and production](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenon#Occurrence_and_production) says

> Within the Solar System, the nucleon fraction of xenon is $\small\mathsf{1.56 \times 10^{-8}}$, for an abundance of approximately one part in 630 thousand of the total mass. Xenon is relatively rare in the Sun's atmosphere, on Earth, and in asteroids and comets. The abundance of xenon in the atmosphere of planet Jupiter is unusually high, about 2.6 times that of the Sun. This abundance remains unexplained, but may have been caused by an early and rapid buildup of planetesimals—small, subplanetary bodies—before the heating of the presolar disk. (Otherwise, xenon would not have been trapped in the planetesimal ices.) **The problem of the low terrestrial xenon may be explained by covalent bonding of xenon to oxygen within quartz**, reducing the outgassing of xenon into the atmosphere.

I know that crystals can provide unusual amounts of local pressure. For example, [this answer](https://space.stackexchange.com/a/33570/12102) explains that ice VII has been discovered at room temperature as inclusions in diamonds.

**Question:** But I'm still surprised to read about covalent bonding of xenon with oxygen within quartz. How/where has this been observed in naturally occurring mineral or rock, and what is the evidence of covalent bonding?

**Tags:** geochemistry, crystals, crystallography, gas

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: This may have some helpful information but it's paywalled so I won't be able to read it for the next few days: *Retention of Xenon in Quartz and Earth's Missing Xenon* http://science.sciencemag.org/content/310/5751/1174  
> **username_1**: There's also the option of Xe bonding with iron oxides: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19107-y  
> **username_0**: @username_1 thank you for that, I'll read it today!  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-03-05. Score: 5

Not sure this is appropriate for Earth Science SE (Chemistry SE would be a better fit), but the answer is "maybe". quoting from [the same Wikipedia article](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenon):

> Three oxides of xenon are known: xenon trioxide ($\small\mathsf{XeO\_3)}$ and xenon
> tetroxide $\small\mathsf{(XeO\_4)}$, both of which are dangerously explosive and powerful
> oxidizing agents, and **xenon dioxide $\small\mathsf{(XeO\_2)}$**, which was reported in
> 2011 with a coordination number of four.[97] $\small\mathsf{XeO\_2}$ forms when xenon
> tetrafluoride is poured over ice. **Its crystal structure may allow it
> to replace silicon in silicate minerals.[98]** The $\small\mathsf{XeOO^+}$ cation has
> been identified by infrared spectroscopy in solid argon.[[99](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21341650/)]

Cited references

97.
Bell, C.F. (2013). Syntheses and Physical Studies of Inorganic Compounds. Elsevier Science. p. 143. ISBN 9781483280608.

98.
Cockett, A.H.; Smith, K.C.; Bartlett, N. (2013). The Chemistry of the Monatomic Gases: Pergamon Texts in Inorganic Chemistry. Elsevier Science. p. 292. ISBN 9781483157368.

99.
Brock, D.S.; Schrobilgen, G.J. (2011). "Synthesis of the missing oxide of xenon, XeO2, and its implications for earth's missing xenon". Journal of the American Chemical Society. 133 (16): 6265–9. doi:10.1021/ja110618g. PMID 21341650.

Evidence is given in [Crepisson et al (2019)](https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2018GC007779) for xenon (as $\small\mathsf{XeO\_2}$) incorporation into silica at high pressure. XRD measurements show changes in the lattice consistent with xenon substituting for silicon in the oxide structure.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Can you find specific answers to "How/where has this been observed, and what is the evidence of covalent bonding?" I'd assumed that "quarts" refers to a mineral, not simply the chemical SiO2. Am I wrong?  
> **username_2**: Quartz.  Wikipedia does give a reference [98] in the article to the possible presence of Xe in silicate structures, so I would look that up.  
> **username_0**: I may ask a chemistry question later, but right now I'm asking about xenon being bonded to oxygen within *terrestrial quarts minerals*. Maybe "go look that up" is not the best response?  
> **username_1**: This is a really interesting experimental study showing that Xe can be in quartz, but there's the question of whether this actually occurs in nature.  
> **username_0**: I've added a bounty; if you have a chance to add anything there it would be great!  
> **username_0**: @Fred `$cool!$ oh, I mean $\small\mathsf{cool!}$` I like how that works, thank you!  
> **username_2**: @username_0 I stumbled upon this old answer and am wondering how it is (or if it still is) link only?  
> **username_0**: In order to know **How** or **Where** Xe is observed to be covalently bonded to oxygen as well as **What the evidence is**, each reader will have to go to your link to (Crepisson et al. 2019) and search for that information there. These are not explained in the text of your answer, you just provide a link where the answer might be, so it's still a link-only answer. See the two sentences at the end of my question post labeled "**Question:**"  
> **username_0**: Just fyi: I noticed that the original answer was posted by https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/users/15362/username_2 and there is a pending edit by a newer user https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/users/20607/username_2 If those are both you and you can still access the first user name login, there is a Stack Exchange process to merge the two IDs, reputation, and ability to edit posts.  
> **username_0**: I'm not condemning anything, just looking for an answer to my question as asked.  

---

