Journal of Applied Crystallography

Volume 34, Part 2 (April 2001)

cryocrystallography papers

J. Appl. Cryst. (2001). 34, 203-207 [ doi:10.1107/S0021889800018987 ]

A perdeuterated cryoprotectant for neutron studies and a demonstration of its use for neutron powder diffraction on L-(-)-ephedrine hemihydrate

F. C. Krebs, M. Jørgensen, B. Lebech and K. Frydenvang

Abstract: The use of perdeuteropolyethylpropylene (d-PEP) as a cryoprotectant for neutron studies of molecular organic solids is demonstrated by the solution of the structure of L-(-)-ephedrine hemihydrate from neutron powder diffraction data on a sample containing 20 wt% d-PEP. It is demonstrated that no contribution from d-PEP to the scattering is observed. Neutron diffraction studies of solvent-containing molecular crystals that require a perdeuterated cryoprotectant oil are thus possible.

Keywords: cryocrystallography; cryoprotectant; neutron diffraction; powder diffraction.