The first report of a muoniated free radical formed from reaction of Mu with Br2

In this paper, we report preliminary data for the first direct evidence of a free radical formed from Mu reactivity with Br-2 ill the gas phase, in N-2 moderator at a total pressure of 3 bar. A new experimental setup and target vessel for mu SR studies of reactive Compounds, such as the halogens and hydrogen halides, suitable as well for RF measurements, is described. The experimental data, obtained from a longitudinal field repolarization curve, yields a hfc of 1770 MHz. We tentatively identify this as the [BrMuBr] radical, a non-conventional bond system, arising from the combination of a van der Waals interaction and dynamics on a repulsive surface. Studies of the dynamics and hfcs of possible radicals, which in principal could form, are also outlined here. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.