Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: jeffreyH on 01/12/2017 11:22:35

Title: Is there such thing as heavy ammonia?
Post by: jeffreyH on 01/12/2017 11:22:35
Is there such a thing as heavy ammonia in the same way we have heavy water?
Title: Re: Is there such thing as heavy ammonia?
Post by: chiralSPO on 01/12/2017 17:54:33
Quote from: jeffreyH on 01/12/2017 11:22:35
Is there such a thing as heavy ammonia in the same way we have heavy water?

Certainly!

Deuterated ammonia, ND3, is commercially available, and is often used for isotope labeling studies. Presumably NT3 is also used for some things, but that's radioactive, and I don't do any radiochemistry!  15NH3 also exists.
Title: Re: Is there such thing as heavy ammonia?
Post by: chiralSPO on 01/12/2017 18:35:34
Cambridge Isotopes sells isotopically labeled things of all kinds, largely deuterated compounds.

http://www.isotope.com/products/index.cfm#

I use deuterated solvents routinely for conducting NMR experiments, and occasionally for studying mechanisms by comparing rates (kinetic isotope effect) or seeing where D is incorporated in a molecule (and using that info to gain insight on intermediate species).
Title: Re: Is there such thing as heavy ammonia?
Post by: Bored chemist on 01/12/2017 18:51:37
If you are prepared to pay, you can get the deuterium  substituted version of just about anything.
Deuterated versions of compounds are often used as standards in chemical analysis.
Title: Re: Is there such thing as heavy ammonia?
Post by: adianadiadi on 14/12/2017 16:38:21
Heavy ammonia is represented by ND3. What is special about this is, instead of normal protium isotope of hydrogen, 1H1, there are deuterium isotopes, 2H1, also represented by D. The MW is 20 g mol-1. That is why we call it heavy ammonia. Normal ammonia's MW is 17 g mol-1.