Chemical Characterization of a Volatile Dubnium Compound, DbOCl.

The formation and the chemical characterization of single atoms of dubnium (Db, element 105), in the form of its volatile oxychloride, was investigated using the on-line gas phase chromatography technique, in the temperature range 350-600 °C. Under the exactly same chemical conditions, comparative studies with the lighter homologues of Group 5 in the Periodic Table clearly indicate the volatility sequence being NbOCl > TaOCl ≥ DbOCl . From the obtained experimental results, thermochemical data for DbOCl were derived. The present study delivers reliable experimental information for theoretical calculations on chemical properties of transactinides.