What molecule am I?
Ammonia-d-t (NHDT) is, in theory, the smallest possible chiral molecule. It consists of a nitrogen atom connected to hydrogen (1H), deuterium (2H), and tritium (3H) atoms and an unshared electron pair.
Initial mentions of NHDT in the literature include calculations of its thermodynamic properties by Russian physical chemist A. A. Antonov in 1964–65. Antonov’s calculations included deuterium, tritium, and halogen derivatives of ammonia, phosphine, and arsine.
More specific studies of NHDT were made by Philip J. Stephens at the University of Southern California (Los Angeles) and colleagues there and at other institutions in 1987–90. Stephens’s calculations centered on vibrational rotational strengths of the molecule and their connection to its nuclear shielding tensors.
Since the time of Stephens’s work, other theoreticians have used different methods to estimate the properties of NHDT; but there is no indication that anyone has attempted to make it.
[Editor’s note: The chemist who suggested NHDT writes that phosphine-d-t1 (PHDT) might be more stable to inversion than NHDT; but it would undoubtedly be pyrophoric.]
1. CAS Reg. No. 99001-47-5.
Molecules in the News
Hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane1, commonly called CL-20, is an explosive used by the US military, primarily as a propellant for missiles and drones. It is acceptably stable and releases 20% more energy than conventional HMX2 propellants.
Earlier this month, Craig Bettenhausen at C&EN reported that the US Department of Defense is seeking to fund private American chemical companies to produce 28 key chemicals that are in short domestic supply. The desired products include dyes, fuels, and explosives/propellants. Among the propellants is CL-20; three of its precursors are only available in large scale from China.
Δ8-Tetrahydrocannabinol3 (Δ8-THC) was the Molecule of the Week for October 4, 2021. It is an isomer of the more abundant and widely known Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). Although Δ8-THC is less psychoactive than its isomer, it is federally unregulated and has been widely used in the past 5 years to achieve a high.
Δ8-THC has begun to appear in e-cigarettes (“vapes”), gummies, and chocolate bars. In the September 8 Los Angeles Times, Devi Shastri of the Associated Press informed readers about Δ8 and other vape shop drugs. Shastri’s main message was that Δ8 may be legal; but consumers should be aware that products that contain it and other unregulated substances could cause unexpected, even harmful, side effects.
1. CAS Reg. No. 135285-90-4.
2. CAS Reg. No. 2691-41-0.
3. CAS Reg. No. 5957-75-5.
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Ammonia-d-t fast facts
| CAS Reg. No. | 16043-67-7 |
| SciFindern name | Ammonia-d-t |
| Empirical formula | DHNT |
| Molar mass | 20.04 g/mol |
Learn more about this molecule from CAS, the most authoritative and comprehensive source for chemical information.
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