Synthesis and stability of liquid molecular DT

Regular equimolar deuterium-tritium is a mixture of 25 mol% T/sub 2/-50% DT-25% D/sub 2/. We have synthesized molecular DT of greater purity by the reaction LiT + CH/sub 3/OD ..-->.. DT + LiOCH/sub 3/, run at 243/degree/K. With both the alcohol and reactor-to-cryostat transfer lines at room temperature, we obtain 88 mol% DT purity. By cooling the alcohol and holding the transfer lines at 80/degree/K, the yield rose to 95% DT. The DT disproportionated to D/sub 2/ and T/sub 2/ with a 1e time constant of about 100 h in the liquid at 20.5/degree/K. Nuclear magnetic resonance data showed that the eventual T/sub 2/-DT-D/sub 2/ equilibrium is probably a /open quotes/hot-atom/close quotes/ one. 15 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab.