Carbonyl complexes of radioactive transition metals can be easily synthesized with high yields by stopping nuclear fission or fusion products in a gas volume containing CO. Here, we focus on Mo, W, and Os complexes. The reaction takes place at pressures of around 1 bar at room temperature, i.e., at conditions that are easy to accommodate. The formed complexes are highly volatile. They can thus be transported within a gas stream without major losses to setups for their further investigation or direct use. The rapid synthesis holds promise for radiochemical purposes and will be useful for studying, e.g., chemical properties of superheavy elements.

Abstract:We report on the in-situ synthesis of metal carbonyl complexes with short-lived isotopes of transition metals. Complexes of molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium and rhodium were synthesized by thermalisation of products of neutron-induced fission of 249 Cf in a carbon monoxide-nitrogen mixture. Complexes of tungsten, rhenium, osmium, and iridium were synthesized by thermalizing short-lived isotopes produced in 24 Mg-induced fusion evaporation reactions in a carbon monoxide containing atmosphere. The chemical reactions took place at ambient temperature and pressure conditions. The complexes were rapidly transported in a gas stream to collection setups or gas phase chromatography devices. was studied. We also studied the stability of some of the complexes, showing that these start to decompose at temperatures above 300 ∘ C in contact with a quartz surface.Our studies lay a basis for the investigation of such complexes with transactinides.

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