Reaction of xenon difluoride with indene in aqueous 1,2-dimethoxyethane and tetrahydrofuran

Xenon difluoride (XeF2) reacts with indene in 1,2-dimethoxyethane–water (90:10) to give cis- and trans-2-fluoro-1-hydroxyindans. Our data indicate that neither xenon oxide (XeO) nor hydroxyxenon fluoride (HOXeF) is an intermediate in this reaction even though XeO is a suspected intermediate from aqueous hydrolysis of XeF2.