Chemical evolution models predict a gradual build-up of 13C in the Universe, based on empirical nuclear reaction rates and assumptions on the properties of stellar populations. However, old metal-poor stars within the Galaxy contain more 13C than is predicted, suggesting that further refinements to the models are necessary. Gas at high-redshift

Schwarzschild dynamical models are now regularly employed in large surveys of galaxies in the local and distant Universe to derive information on galaxies' intrinsic properties such as their orbital structure and their (dark matter and stellar) mass distribution. Comparing the internal orbital structures and mass distributions of galaxies in the

Detection of complex organic species in space has been one of the biggest challenges of the astrophysical community since the beginning of space exploration, with C60-fullerene representing one of the largest molecules so far detected. The presence of small metal-containing organic molecules, like MgNC or CaCN, in space, promoted the idea that C60

The bromofullerene C60Br24 undergoes a complete and quantitative debromination to C60 when it is mixed and ground in the solid state with cesium iodide (CsI). The kinetics of this unique solid state debromination reaction was studied with FT-IR spectroscopy on C60Br24 embedded in CsI pellet. The debromination rate constant was measured k = 8.4 x 10

Indene was polymerized to polyindene (PI) through a cationic mechanism using TiCl4•2THF complex as initiator. The cationic mechanism was investigated through electronic absorption spectroscopy and either the indanyl cation as well as the polyindenyl cation absorption bands were distinguished and assigned. The PI structure was investigated through

A smooth, solventless and solid state debromination of C70Br10 can be achieved in a CsI matrix with the restoration of the pristine C70 in quantitative yields. Such debromination reaction was studied with FT-IR spectroscopy and its kinetics was fitted by a pseudofirst order law, with a rate constant in the range of 3.6-5.2 x 10−5 s−1. The thermal