Issue |
J. Chim. Phys.
Volume 60, 1963
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|
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Page(s) | 197 - 204 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/jcp/1963600197 | |
Published online | 28 May 2017 |
The photochemical separation of mercury isotopes
Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada., Canada..
Recent developments in the field of mono-isotopic mercury photosensitization are presented and discussed. By the use of a spacially-intermittent rotating sector, optimum mercury isotope enrichments are obtained in the reaction of hydrogen chloride, and the alkyl chlorides, with mercury isotopes, photo-excited in natural mercury vapour. Results are reported for both 198Hg and 202Hg-electrodeless discharge sources. It is shown that the isotopically-specific primary process
[math]
only occurs if R contains at least one H atom. From an analysis of the overall reaction mechanism, it is concluded that the primary reaction, forming calomel, constitutes at least one-third of the quenching process. From the results on a wide range of calomel-forming substrates, it is concluded that the activated complex in these isotopically-specific reactions is a cyclic structure in which the excited mercury isotopes is simultaneously bonded to chlorine and hydrogen.
© Paris : Société de Chimie Physique, 1963