A magnetic switch for spin-catalyzed interconversion of nuclear spin isomers.
The interconversion of ortho-hydrogen (oH(2)) and para-hydrogen (pH(2)), the two nuclear spin isomers of dihydrogen, requires a paramagnetic spin catalyst such as a nitroxide. We report the design and demonstration of spin catalysis of the interconversion of oH(2) and pH(2) incarcerated in an endofullerene based on a reversible nitroxide/hydroxylamine system. The system is an example of a reversible magnetic spin catalysis switch that can increase the rate of interconversion of the nuclear spin isomers of H(2) by a factor of approximately 10(4).
Li
Yongjun
Y
Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA.
Lei
Xuegong
X
Jockusch
Steffen
S
Chen
Judy Y-C
JY
Frunzi
Michael
M
Johnson
Jeremiah A
JA
Lawler
Ronald G
RG
Murata
Yasujiro
Y
Murata
Michihisa
M
Komatsu
Koichi
K
Turro
Nicholas J
NJ