Polonium hexafluoride

Synthesis

The synthesis of PoF₆ via the reaction

²¹⁰Po + 3 F₂ → ²¹⁰PoF₆

was attempted in 1945, but the attempt was unsuccessful. The boiling point was predicted to be about −40 °C.

²⁰⁸PoF₆ was probably successfully synthesised via the same reaction in 1960 with the more stable isotope ²⁰⁸Po, where a volatile polonium fluoride was produced, but it was not fully characterized before it underwent radiolysis and decomposed to polonium tetrafluoride.