Application of ICP-MS radionuclide analysis to “Real World” samples of department of Energy radioactive waste

Germanium spectrometers must be operated at liquid nitrogen temperatures. Other detectors operate better when cooled. Many applications, because of hostile environments, inaccessibility, remote location, long duration, etc., are compromised, or totally precluded, by the requirement for liquid nitrogen. A Stirling cycle refrigerator based on a linear motor design, which is acoustically and vibrationally quiet, does not require secondary cooling, and operates unattended for years, is under development. System design and specifications are presented. Applications to cooled laser monitoring equipment. SQUID-based detection systems, environmental cleanup and monitoring, medical diagnostics, non-destructive testing systems, communication equipment, computer electronics, and imaging systems are discussed.     

Doppler-free laserspectroscopic investigations of hyperfine structure in the atomic cobalt spectrum

Performing Doppler-free laserspectroscopic investigations in the red wavelength region (640–670 nm) we were able to determine 10A-factors and 9B-factors of atomic cobalt levels. Now precise values of 18A-factors and 16B-factors of levels belonging to the configurations (3d+4s)⁹ are known. Fitting of the one-electron radial parameters to introduce agreement between experimental and theoretical hfs constants allows the prediction of hfs constants of not yet investigated fine structure levels. Values of the electric quadrupole moment of the Co⁵⁹ nucleus are determined in two electron configurations. The resulting mean value of the spectroscopic quadrupole moment isQ=0.35(3) barn.     

Mammalian cell growth studiedin situ by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared techniques were used to monitor mammalian cell growth plated on attenuated total reflection (ATR) crystals. Consistently, the growth kinetics plots generated from the obtained spectra demonstrated a sigmoidal curve representing a sequence of slow, rapid, then tapering cell growth which correlated well with non-spectral cell growth determinations. Significant advantages over traditional methods of measuring cell growth kinetics are demonstrated. The technique has promising potential to be used to study events in areas such as toxicology and cell biology.     

Substitution reactions of [Fe(4)S(4)Cl(4)](2-) with Bu(t)NC or Et(2)NCS(2)(-): trapping intermediates and detecting new pathways

Kinetic studies on the substitution reaction between [Fe(4)S(4)Cl(4)](2-) and Bu(t)NC or Et(2)NCS(2)(-) are reported. The binding of small molecules and ions to Fe-S clusters is a fundamental step in substitution reactions but can be difficult to follow directly because these reactions are rapid and often associated with small spectroscopic changes. A novel kinetic method is reported which allows the time course of molecule and ion binding to Fe-S clusters to be followed by monitoring the lability of the cluster. Using a stopped-flow, sequential-mix apparatus, [Fe(4)S(4)Cl(4)](2-) and L (L = Et(2)NCS(2)(-) or Bu(t)NC) are rapidly mixed, and after a known time (delta) the resulting solution is mixed with a solution of PhS(-). The thiolate substitutes for the chloro ligands on the cluster, in a reaction which is easy to follow because of the large change in the visible absorption spectrum. The rate of this substitution is extremely sensitive to whether L is bound to the cluster or not. By correlation of delta with the rate of the reaction with PhS(-), the time course of the reaction between [Fe(4)S(4)Cl(4)](2-) and L can be mapped out. In studies where L = Bu(t)NC this technique has allowed the detection of an intermediate ([Fe(4)S(4)Cl(4)(CNBu(t))](2-)) which cannot be detected spectrophotometrically. In further studies, the substitution reactions of [Fe(4)S(4)Cl(4)](2-) with PhS(-), Et(2)NCS(2)(-), or Bu(t)NC are all perturbed by the addition of Cl(-). In all cases a common pathway for substitution is evident, but with Et(2)NCS(2)(-) an additional, slower pathway becomes apparent under conditions where the common pathway is completely inhibited by Cl(-).     

Time spectroscopy in theA 1∑ u + state of Li2

We have determined effective cross-sections for resonant transfer of excitation energy from state-selected Li₂ molecules to ground state Li atoms $$Li_2 A\left( {\upsilon ',J'} \right) + Li2S \to Li_2 X\left( {\upsilon '',J''} \right) + Li2P$$ with two different experimental techniques. Absolute cross-sections were derived from lifetime measurements of 114 rotational levels of theA-state subject to resonant collisions which belong to vibrational statesv′=4, 5, 6, 7 and 11 of⁶Li₂ and⁷Li₂. Cross-sections amount to several thousand Ų dropping off sharply with a resonance half-width of about 16 cm^?1. The resonance behaviour of the collision cross-section inferred from lifetime data could be confirmed by a double resonance technique probing the number of excited atoms with a second laser while the first laser was scanned over the Li₂ X?A absorption band. Due to their high reliability our data prove a good basis for the test of theoretical models. In contrast to earlier investigations significant deviations were found to exist between the measured cross-sections and those predicted by the first-order dipole-dipole scattering theory.     

Study of the direct detection of crosslinks in hydrocarbons by 13C-NMR. I. Preparation and characterization of model compound 1,1,2,2-tetra(tridecyl) ethane

The present series of papers is the commencement of a study aimed at the direct detection and quantification of crosslinking in hydrocarbons with the ultimate objective of a precise study of radiation-induced crosslinking in polyethylene. The subject of the present paper is the synthesis of a model compound containing a crosslink in a well-defined position sufficiently remote from the chain ends to be representative of an average crosslink in polyethylene. Such a compound in the form of 1,1,2,2-tetra(tridecyl) ethane has been synthetized and isolated in pure form in the course of the present work. Melting points and x-ray spacings of the new compound have been determined, and a comparison with the corresponding linear paraffins has been made. Effects are noted relating to the influence of molecular shape on the GPC elution volume, in which context an observation on a cyclic paraffin is also quoted.     

Metallocycle synthesis accelerated by high pressure

Reaction of cis-[FeH₂(dmpe)₂](1) with diphenylbutadiyne results in an insertion into both of the iron-hydride bonds to form an iron metallocycle. Spectroscopic and crystallographic data of [Fe(PhHCC₂CHPh)(dmpe)₂] (3) show 1,4-diphenylbutatriene is symmetrically bound to the metal via the central double bond. The reaction to form the metallocyclic complex is greatly accelerated by application of external pressure. A 41% yield of (3) is isolated after two days at atmospheric pressure or after approximately 75 min at 800MPa.     

Serendipitous synthesis of a ditwistane: a one-step access!

4-tert-Butyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one dimerizes in THF solution via its kinetic enolate, leading to di-tert-butylditwistane 8 in up to 36% yield (−78 °C → room temp., protonolysis, flash chromatography). X-ray crystallography shows that 8 incorporates one R and one S enantiomer of the starting ketone; none of the diastereomeric ditwistanes epi-8, epi’-8 or iso-8 was isolated. This means that the formation of 8 proceeds with mutual kinetic resolution and 100% induced diastereoselectivity.     

Helicity‐Encoded Molecular Strands: Efficient Access by the Hydrazone Route and Structural Features

Control over the folding of molecular strands may be achieved by appropriate choice of the constituting subunits, in particular for chains of specific heterocycles such as sequences of directly connected pyridine (py) and pyrimidine (pym) rings, which are known to fold into extended helical structures. Since the hydrazone (hyz) group represents an isomorphic analogue of a py site, the condensation of hydrazine and carboxaldehyde derivatives of pym offers a very efficient approach to strands incorporating hyz instead of py units and constituted by sequences of alternating hyz and pym groups. A series of such strands of different lengths, up to ten hyz units, i.e., 1 – 7 , were synthesized. Their spectral properties indicate that they fold indeed into helical shapes. Extensive characterization was performed in solution by ¹HNMR spectroscopy and in the solid state by determination of the crystal structures of eight such strands. They all display the expected helical geometry with up to 3 ¹/₃ turns and direct stacking contacts. The efficiency and flexibility of the synthetic approach as well as its wide potential for generation of diversity through lateral decoration make the (hyz? pym) subunit a particularly attractive helicity codon.