Unpaste Problem

Hello,
       Easy ways to "unpaste"?
 xp <- paste(x2, x3) # x2, x3 are two non-numeric columns.
.............
.........................
xfg <- data.frame(xp,sc1, sc2, sc3) # sc1,sc2, sc3 are numeric cols.

I want xp to be split up to form a new dataframe of the form (x3, sc1,
sc2, sc3).
IMPORTANT info : elements of xp have the form abc<space>efg, with abc
in x2 and efg in x3.