Decay technique

In chemistry, the decay technique is a method to generate chemical species such as radicals, carbocations, and other potentially unstable covalent structures by radioactive decay of other compounds. For example, decay of a tritium-labeled molecule yields an ionized helium atom, which might then break off to leave a cationic molecular fragment.

The technique was developed in 1963 by the Italian chemist Fulvio Cacace at the University of Rome. It has allowed the study of a vast number of otherwise inaccessible compounds and reactions. It has also provided much of our current knowledge about the chemistry of the helium hydride ion [HeH]⁺.