The intramolecular phase boundary (between vital substrate and non-vital shell substrate) as such probably does not have the status of a defined atomic-group-like formed special structure. It consists of a slightly fluctuating layer of semi-vitalized = polarized, i.e oriented, atoms. One could then, on the one hand, say that "death" is constantly at life's back (permanently neighboring). But as long as the state of living exists at all, it seems to exercise a sufficiently strong induction effect (vital-polarizational or orientational effect) on its (intramolecular) external shell.