For the first time, scientists have characterized a promethium coordination complex, advancing the understanding of challenging lanthanide elements.

Promethium, a rare earth element, is unique in that it lacks stable isotopes. As a result, it constantly decays, making it challenging to study. In this research, scientists successfully isolated a pure sample of the isotope promethium-147 and bonded it with a molecule to form a stable complex in water. They then used X-ray absorption spectroscopy to analyze the compound’s structure and examine its chemical bonding.