Eur. Phys. J. D 45, 133-138 (2007)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2007-00151-4

FTICR/MS studies of gas-phase actinide ion reactions: fundamental chemical and physical properties of atomic and molecular actinide ions and neutrals

¹ Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
² Departamento de Química, Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear, 2686-953 Sacavém, Portugal
³ Department of Chemistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
⁴ Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

Corresponding authors: ^a gibsonjk@ornl.gov - ^b jmarcalo@itn.pt

Received: 7 November 2006
Revised: 26 February 2007
Published online: 4 May 2007

Abstract

Fundamental aspects of the chemical and physical properties of atomic and molecular actinide ions and neutrals are being examined by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR/MS). To date, gas-phase reactivity studies of bare and ligated An⁺ and An²⁺ ions, where An = Th, Pa, U, Np, Pu, Am, and Cm, with oxidants and with hydrocarbons have been performed. Among the information that has been deduced from these studies are thermodynamic properties of neutral and ionic actinide oxide molecules and the role of the 5f electrons in actinide chemistry. Parallel theoretical studies of selected actinide molecular ions have also been carried out to substantiate the interpretation of the experimental observations.