The number of electrons in the element's outer shell hugely influences reactivity. If the outer electron shell is full then an additional chemical bond cannot be formed because there is no room. Inert ...

Noble gases have a reputation for being unreactive, inert elements, but more than 60 years ago Neil Bartlett demonstrated the first way to bond xenon. He created XePtF6, an orange-yellow solid.

IN his interesting review of Prof. Letts's book on Some Fundamental Problems of Chemistry, in NATURE of May 21, Prof. Meldola states that an atomic volume curve which includes the inert elements is ...