ANSTO's research capabilities, led by the OPAL nuclear research reactor and associated instruments provide access to users investigating areas as diverse as materials, life sciences, climate change and mining/engineering.
Chemical Deuteration Laboratories
Contact: Professor Peter Holden
Phone: + 61 2 9717 3991
Email: ndf-enquiries@ansto.gov.au
Two laboratories have been established for synthesis and characterisation of small deuterated organic molecules. During 2008 the labs will be equipped with the Parr hydrogen reactors for H/D exchange to generate perdeuterated precursors for synthesis into target molecules.
Purification will be undertaken using medium pressure column chromatography and products will be characterised using NMR, HPLC, gel permeation chromatography with on line light scattering, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), GC-MS and LC-MS/MS.
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| Illustration of Production/ Purification process |
A limited range of chemically deuterated molecules is available for use in the upcoming round of beam time at the OPAL Reactor. In the short term, we can provide the following on request:
- Fully deuterated saturated fatty acid (C8 to C18) > 98% D
- Related compounds of the above item (i.e., deuterated alkyl chain terminated with OH, Cl, Br, NH2 ….etc).
- Deuterated alkyl chain (C8-C18) attached to a non-deuterated head group such as glycerol, ester, ethers or any molecule of interest (after discussion).
- Surfactants, i.e., Cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or related surfactants of different alkyl chain lengths.
- Fully deuterated saturated di-acids [sebacic acid (C10), Azelaic acid (C9)].
- Diethylene glycol-d8
- Fully deuterated linear alkanes.