American scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have synthesized the first organometallic molecule containing radioactive berkelium. The new compound, called “berkelocene,” resembles uranocene in structure and consists of a berkelium atom positioned between two eight-membered carbon rings.
Berkelium is a rare and highly radioactive element first discovered in 1949 at the same laboratory. The experiment used the isotope berkelium-249, with research conducted under sealed conditions due to its high radioactivity.
Unexpectedly, berkelium in the new molecule exhibited a tetravalent oxidation state (+4), contradicting traditional assumptions about its chemical behavior. Previously, scientists expected it to behave similarly to terbium from the lanthanoid group.
This discovery deepens our understanding of actinide chemistry and could play a key role in developing new methods for nuclear waste processing and storage.
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