Thermal stability and IR-laser-driven selective photochemistry of a volatile uranyl compound at natural abundance

Abstract

Molecular beam mass spectrometric measurements have been carried out to investigate the IR-laser chemistry of bis(1,1,1,5,5,5,-hexafluoropentane-2,4-dionato)dioxouranium(VI) tetrahydrofuran [UO₂[(CF₃CO)₂CH]₂] . THF. The compound has been characterized and shown to be stable in the gas phase up to 95° C. An isotope selectivity, factor for ²³⁸U species as high as three was obtained in on-line dissociations of this compound (with natural abundance of uranium isotopes) using the 10P(6) line of a TEA CO₂ laser IR-laser dissociation studies have also been carried out with the vapour in static or flowing condition in a cell. Negligible isotope selectivity is observed in the cell experiments.