Neil Bartlett observed that PtF6 reacts with O2 to yield an ionic solid,O‌2+PtF–6.
Here, O2 gets oxidised to O‌2+ by PtF6.
Since the first ionisation enthalpy of Xe(1170 kJ mol‌–1) is fairly close tothat of O2 molecule (1175 kJ mol‌–1), Bartlett thought that PtF6should alsooxidise Xe. When Xe and PtF6 were mixed, a rapid reaction took place anda red solid with the formula, Xe+PtF–6was obtained.
Xe+PtF6

278K

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Xe+[PtF6]−