State of art in experimental studies and theory of superheavy elements

A few recent years have seen remarkable progress in synthesising new, 'superheavy' elements (SHE). Researchers at Dubna reached the slopes of the expected 'island of stability' around Z = 114 and N = 184. In weeks to months bombardments of isotopes of U, Pu and Cm by very intense beams of 48Ca, they discovered (mostly α-active) isotopes of previously unknown elements 116 and 114, as well as of element 112, all with relatively very long half-lives - up to minutes. Modern theory approaches two orders of magnitude accuracy in predicting spontaneous fission and α-decay half-lives of even-even superheavy nuclides. The findings of physical experiments give an impetus to chemical studies. Quantum (theoretical) chemistry studies aim at the problem of 'relativistic effects' in chemical properties of SHE to provide also some hints for experiments. As yet, only structure and energy levels of SHE atoms, and simple molecules containing light ligands can be calculated with a necessary accuracy while experimenters have to do with more complex free molecules or ions in solutions, and heavier ligands. Work on chemical identification of the 3-min 283112 is in progress at Dubna. Being a homologue of Hg, element 112 must be even more volatile metal. Thank to this, its single atoms can be easily separated from interfering activities. The first results with a few atoms of element 112 indicate that at certain experimental conditions this element behaves more like radon than mercury. (author)