Hyperfine structure and isotope shift investigations in202–222Rn for the study of nuclear structure beyond Z=82

The hyperfine structure (hfs) and isotope shift (IS) in the isotopic chain of the radioactive element radon have been studied for the first time. The measurements were carried out by collinear fast-beam laser spectroscopy at the mass separator facility ISOLDE at CERN. The IS between 16 isotopes in the mass range 202A222 and the hfs of 7 odd-A isotopes were determined in the transitions 7s [3/2]₂-7p [5/2]₃ (745 nm) of Rn I. The nuclear spins and moments, as well as the observed inversion of the odd-even staggering for^218–222Rn, can be associated with the effects of octupole instability around N=134.This work was supported by the Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Cyclization by the intermediates of phenylthio- and phenoxy carbamoyl. Formation of azasuccinic anhydrides and their polycondensation products. Intervention of the carbamoyl pyridinium cation

The N-(p-nitrophenoxy-carbonyl) derivatives of glycine, DL -alanine and DL -leucine are transformed by the action of pyridine into azasuccinic, 3-methyl-2-azasuccinic and 3-isobutyl-2-azasuccinic anhydride, respectively. These cyclisations occur probably via the intermediate N-carbamoyl-pyridinium cation , the rate of cyclisation seems to depend on the concentration of the intermediate in the form of the dipolar ion , i.e. the ionised carboxyl is necessary for the reaction. In γ-collidine the cyclisation occurs very slowly; this is attributed to the slowness due to steric hindrance of the production of N-carbamoyl-γ-collidinium cation and its instability. The azasuccinic anhydrides mentioned polycondense, yielding the corresponding polyglycine, poly-DL -alanine and poly-DL -leucine. This reaction too is catalysed by pyridine; it can also be effected by γ-collidine, but the efficacity of the latter in comparison with pyridine is even less than in the catalysis of the cyclisation described above. N-(p-nitrophenoxy-carbonyl)-glycine reacts with lysozyme in the presence of pyridine; several glycine residues are introduced into the enzyme molecule, the product being insoluble and poorly active.     

Alkene Isomerisation Catalysed by a Ruthenium PNN Pincer Complex

The [Ru(CO)H(PNN)] pincer complex based on a dearomatised PNN ligand (PNN: 2‐di‐tert‐butylphosphinomethyl‐6‐diethylaminomethylpyridine) was examined for its ability to isomerise alkenes. The isomerisation reaction proceeded under mild conditions after activation of the complex with alcohols. Variable‐temperature (VT) NMR experiments to investigate the role of the alcohol in the mechanism lend credence to the hypothesis that the first step involves the formation of a rearomatised alkoxide complex. In this complex, the hemilabile diethylamino side‐arm can dissociate, allowing alkene binding cis to the hydride, enabling insertion of the alkene into the metal–hydride bond, whereas in the parent complex only trans binding is possible. During this study, a new uncommon Ru⁰ coordination complex was also characterised. The scope of the alkene isomerisation reaction was examined.     

Quantification of regional intrapulmonary oxygen partial pressure evolution during apnea by (3)He MRI

We present a new method to determine in vivo the temporal evolution of intrapulmonary oxygen concentrations by functional lung imaging with hyperpolarized (3)Helium ((3)He-->). Single-breath, single-bolus visualization of (3)He--> administered to the airspaces is used to analyze nuclear spin relaxation caused by the local oxygen partial pressure p(O(2))(t). We model the dynamics of hyperpolarization in the lung by rate equations. Based hereupon, a double acquisition technique is presented to separate depolarization by RF pulses and oxygen induced relaxation. It permits the determination of p(O(2)) with a high accuracy of up to 3% with simultaneous flip angle calibration using no additional input parameters. The time course of p(O(2)) during short periods of breathholding is found to be linear in a pig as well as in a human volunteer. We also measured the wall relaxation time in the lung and deduced a lower limit of 4.3 min.     

Fast, low-level detection of strontium-90 and strontium-89 in environmental samples by collinear resonance ionization spectroscopy

Environmental assessment in the wake of a nuclear accident requires the rapid determination of the radiotoxic isotopes ⁸⁹Sr and ⁹⁰Sr. Useful measurements must be able to detect 10⁸ atoms in the presence of about 10¹⁸ atoms of the stable, naturally occurring isotopes. This paper describes a new approach to this problem using resonance ionization spectroscopy in collinear geometry, combined with classical mass separation. After collection and chemical separation, the strontium from a sample is surface-ionized and the ions are accelerated to an energy of about 30 keV. Initially, a magnetic mass separator provides an isotopic selectivity of about 10⁶. The ions are then neutralized by charge exchange and the resulting fast strontium atoms are selectively excited into high-lying atomic Rydberg states by narrow-band cw laser light in collinear geometry. The Rydberg atoms are then field-ionized and detected. Thus far, a total isotopic selectivity of S > 10¹⁰ and an overall efficiency of ξ = 5 × 10⁻⁶ have been achieved. The desired detection limit of 10⁸ atoms ⁹⁰Sr has been demonstrated with synthetic samples.     

Tuning intermolecular interactions in a rodlike polymer assembled at surfaces and in solution

The isolation of single polyelectrolyte chains of water-soluble poly(isocyanodipeptide)s (PICs) bearing carboxylic acid terminated side chains occurring both at surfaces and in solution was accomplished by reducing the intermolecular interactions through complexation with cations or positively charged surfactants.Scanning force microscopy and viscosity analyses revealed that this method allows to tune the conformation of the macromolecule, which is of importance for tailoring the physicochemical properties of the material.This is particularly significant for the use of these polymer chains as seed for biomineralization processes.