Pure and Applied Chemistry

Abstract: Muons are short-lived species with an elementary positive or negative charge and a mass 207 times that of the electron. These recommendations concern positive muons, given the short lifetime of negative muons. A positive muon mimics a light hydrogen nucleus, and names are given in analogy to existing names for hydrogen-containing compounds. A particle consisting of a positive muon and an electron (µ+ e -) is named "muonium" and has the symbol Mu. Examples: "muonium chloride," MuCl, is the equivalent of deuterium chloride, 2 HCl or DCl; "muoniomethane", CH 3 Mu, is the product of the muoniation of methane;and NaMu is "sodium muonide."