Chemical state of molybdenum, tungsten and element 106 in chlorinating gases

We have made a quantitative study of the thermochromatographic behavior of short-lived isotopes of W under conditions similar to those of our recent c hemical identification experiments with element 106. The analogous experime nts with Mo isotopes performed earlier at lower counting statistics gave re sults similar to those with W. The experimental data were analyzed from the point of view of the thermodynamics and kinetics of the possible reactions , and of the volatility properties of the known species which could be invo lved. We concluded that with SOCl2 and O-2 in the carrier gas and with an a ctual run time of several minutes or more, the end products are oxotetrachl orides. But, at first, less volatile dioxodichlorides are formed within no more than few seconds, to be subsequently relatively slowly converted to mo re volatile end products. Element 106 was most probably also deposited on t he quartz surface as SgO(2)Cl(2), but decayed before the transformation to SgOCl(4) could be completed.