July 12, 1933
Dr. F. J. Allen,
Chemistry Department,
Purdue University,
Lafayette, Ind.
Dear Fred:
At last I can send you some information regarding the xenon experiments, which Dr.
Yost has been carrying on, inasmuch as he is thoroughly experienced in the chemistry
of the halogens. He found that he could not prepare a compound of xenon with either
chlorine or fluorine by any of the means that he tried, and he has now given up the
investigation. He and his student, Kaye, have sent a note on the experiments to
the Journal of the American Chemical Society, in which they thank you for providing
the xenon, I am sorry that the experiments have turned out in this way since I felt
confident that xenon would combine with fluorine, at any rate, Yost obtained some
red crystals, which he at one time thought contained xenon, but which he later decided
were the pink form of hydrogen chloride.
My wife and I have just visited Oregon, where we saw Prof Fulton, Gilbert, and a lot
of other people. We had such a good time that we are thinking of spending our vacation
there next year.
With best wishes to you and Mrs. Allen, I am
Very sincerely yours,
LP:M
P.S. I want to thank you very much for providing the xenon. If there is anything
that I can do for you, let me know and I shall try to do it.
