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Commercial tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane may have significantly reduced levels of the boron-10 isotope. This isotopic variation, confirmed by ICP-MS, impacts its natural abundance and potential applications.

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Area of Science:

  • Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Nuclear Engineering

Background:

  • Commercial organic compounds typically maintain natural isotopic abundance ratios.
  • Tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane, B(C6F5)3, is a useful chemical reagent.
  • The boron-10 (10B) isotope is critical for nuclear power control rods.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the isotopic composition of boron in commercially sourced tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane.
  • To identify variations in boron-10 (10B) and boron-11 (11B) isotopic abundances.
  • To alert researchers and industry professionals to potential isotopic discrepancies.

Main Methods:

  • Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was employed for isotopic analysis.
  • Comparison of isotopic abundances across different commercial lots of B(C6F5)3.
  • Analysis of boron isotopic ratios in tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane samples.

Main Results:

  • Some commercial samples of B(C6F5)3 exhibited severely depleted levels of the boron-10 (10B) isotope.
  • Isotopic depletion varied significantly between different suppliers and even lot-to-lot.
  • Other commercial samples displayed natural isotopic abundances of boron.

Conclusions:

  • The assumption of natural isotopic abundance in commercial organic compounds is not universally valid for B(C6F5)3.
  • Potential source of 11B-rich raw material is residual boron from 10B-enriched boron carbide production for nuclear applications.
  • Researchers and industrial users should verify the isotopic composition of B(C6F5)3 for critical applications.