Introducing Bluish-Green Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) and Tuning Their Color Intensity by Uranium Complexes: Synthesis, Characterization, and Photoluminescence Studies of 8-Hydroxyquinoline Complexes of Uranium

To improve our understanding of the chemistry of actinide complexes and to spur their development in the field of actinide markers, two new uranium complexes were synthesized using 8-hydroxyquinoline and 5,7-dichloro-8-hydroxyquinoline. The prepared complexes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The impact of the electron-withdrawing group of the ligand on the photoluminescence spectra of the complexes in solution and in the solid state was scrutinized. The bandgap of the complexes was calculated using the density functional theory (DFT) method to investigate the effects of the electron-withdrawing groups on energy levels. The synthesized uranium complexes demonstrated appropriate levels of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy, leading to favorable dye stability. The prepared uranium complexes showed blue fluorescent emission, and the sample with the most intense fluorescence was used to construct bluish-green organic light-emitting diodes using simple solution processing fabrication methods. Absorbance spectra, emission spectra, DFT-calculated energy levels, and comparisons of the fabricated organic light-emitting diodes indicated that the electron-withdrawing group was a key factor in photoluminescence behavior.

Optimization of atomic density-fitting basis functions for molecular two-electron integral approximations

A general procedure for the optimization of atomic density-fitting basis functions is designed with the balance between accuracy and numerical stability in mind. Given one-electron wavefunctions and energies, weights are assigned to the product densities, modeling their contribution to the exchange and second-order correlation energy, and a simple weighted error measure is minimized. Generally contracted Gaussian auxiliary basis sets are optimized to match the wavefunction basis sets [D. N. Laikov, Theor. Chem. Acc. 138, 40 (2019)] for all 102 elements in a scalar-relativistic approximation [D. N. Laikov, J. Chem. Phys. 150, 061103 (2019)].

Synthesis and Characterization of a Binuclear Copper(II)-dipyriamethyrin Complex: [Cu2(dipyriamethyrin)(μ2-1,1-acetato)2]

The reaction between dipyriamethyrin and copper(II) acetate [Cu(OAc)₂] afforded what is, to our knowledge, the first transition metal-dipyriamethyrin complex. Molecular and electronic characterization of this binuclear Cu(II) complex via EPR, UV-vis, and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis revealed marked differences between the present constructs and previously reported binuclear copper(II) hexaphyrin species. UV-vis titration analyses provided evidence for a homotropic positive allosteric effect, wherein the binuclear species is formed without significant intermediacy of a monomeric complex.

Fabrication of blue organic light-emitting diodes from novel uranium complexes: synthesis, characterization, and electroluminescence studies of uranium anthracene-9-carboxylate complexes

In this study, three uranium(vi) complexes, [UO2(C15H9O2)2(CH3CH2OH)2]·2CH3CH2OH (1), [U2O4(C15H9O2)2(CH3O)2(CH3OH)2]·2CH3OH (2), and [U2O4(C15H9O2)4(CH3OH)2]·2H2O (3), were prepared by reacting anthracene-9-carboxylic acid with uranyl acetate dihydrate using various ligand to uranyl acetate ratios in different solvents. The infrared and UV-Vis spectra along with elemental and thermal analyses showed the formation of mono- and dinuclear anthracene-9-carboxylate complexes of uranium. A 1 to 3 molar ratio of uranyl acetate to anthracene-9-carboxylic acid in ethanol resulted in the formation of the mononuclear complex 1, whereas a 1 to 2 and 1 to 3 molar ratio of uranyl acetate to anthracene-9-carboxylic acid in methanol produced the dinuclear complexes 2 and 3, respectively. Single-crystal structure determinations of 1, 2 and 3 revealed hexagonal bipyramidal geometries for the mononuclear uranium complex of 1 and a pentagonal geometry for the dinuclear uranium complexes of 2 and 3. The single-crystal structures of complexes 2 and 3 showed π-π interactions in contrast to complex 1. The strong π-π interactions in complex 2 and 3 lead to an enhanced photoluminescence intensity in comparison with 1 without π-π interaction. The optical properties of the prepared complexes are associated with the ligand-induced resonant system. The fluorescent uranium complex 1 that showed a blue emission upon excitation at 270 nm was used for the fabrication of a blue organic light-emitting diode (BOLED), an industrially important OLED, using a simple solution-process fabrication method.

Theoretical investigation of U(i) arene complexes: is the elusive monovalent oxidation state accessible?

With the goal to extend the uranium oxidation state, relativistic DFT unravels an energetically favored U(i) complex of a heterocalix[4]arene.

Cellulose nanofiber induced self-assembly of zinc oxide nanoparticles: Theoretical and experimental study on interfacial interaction

In-depth understanding of interfacial behavior between biopolymer and semiconductor metal oxides is crucial to developing potential applications of their composites. A structure-ordered cellulose/zinc oxide composite was synthesized and systematically examined by a relativistic density functional theory. The prepared composite shows a hierarchical structure. ZnO nanoparticles of around 30 nm in size are found to uniformly grow along the cellulose fiber, which together construct the primary-structure unit. Associated with experimental characterizations, calculations unravel that the electrostatic attraction between cellulose and ZnO is the main driving force to form the primary structure and the subsequent electron transfer from cellulose to ZnO enhances their interfacial interaction; moreover, an exothermic process was computed. The interfacial interaction is mainly contributed by Zn-O_c (O_c denotes the cellulose oxygen atom), which is intrinsically of a dative bond; the interaction was calculated between -1.39 and -1.83 eV in strength and dominated by orbital attractions.

Ligand size dependence of U–N and U–O bond character in a series of uranyl hexaphyrin complexes: quantum chemical simulation and density based analysis

A quantum chemical and density based analysis of bonding in uranyl hexaphyrin complexes, looking for trends in stability and covalency.

Theoretical investigation of low-valent uranium and transuranium complexes of a flexible small-cavity macrocycle: structural, formation reaction and redox properties

Size matching of a flexible macrocycle with low-valent actinide(III/IV) ions as well as their bonding determines different coordination modes.

Relativistic DFT and experimental studies of mono- and bis-actinyl complexes of an expanded Schiff-base polypyrrole macrocycle

Relativistic DFT calculations present accurate geometries of complexes and redox properties, confirmed by the newly-developed experimental syntheses.

Novel uranyl(vi) complexes incorporating propylene-bridged salen-type N2O2-ligands: a structural and computational approach

Synthesis of uranyl complex, [UO₂L(CH₃OH)] showing distorted pentagonal bipyramidal geometry and derived from a tetradentate dianionic ligand is reported. The computational study of the reported complex shows that its LUMO is featured with uranium f orbital character.

Structural/electronic properties and reaction energies of a series of mono- and bis-uranyl dihalides equatorially coordinated by N/O ligands

Monometallic (UO2)(X)2(L)3 (L = pyridine (py), X = F (1), Cl (2), Br (3) and I (4); L = tetrahydrofuran (thf), X = Cl (5); L = pyrrole (pl), X = Cl (6)) as well as bimetallic [(UO2)(μ2-X)(X)(L)2]2 (L = py, X = F (7), Cl (8), Br (9) and I (10); L = thf, X = Cl (11); L = pl, X = Cl (12); μ 2 = doubly bridged) were examined using relativistic density functional theory. With changing from F, Cl, Br to I irregardless of in mono- or bis-uranyl complexes, bond lengths of U = O were calculated to be decreasing, resulting from strengthening of axial U = O bonds while weakening equatorial X → U coordination. This is further evidenced by calculated bond orders of U = O and stretching vibrational frequencies. A similar situation was is found in 2, 5 and 6 as well as in 8, 11 and 12, where N/O ligands are varied but the chlorine atoms are retained. The present study reveals that all these complexes have U(f)-character low-lying unoccupied orbitals, and their π*(U = O) antibonds are located on higher-energy orbitals. Complex 1 was calculated to show σ(U = O) bonding character for HOMO, and pyridine-character for other occupied orbitals; the fluorine ligand occurs in a relatively low-energy region. In contrast, the π(p) characters of heavier halogen atoms significantly contribute to most frontier molecular orbitals of 2, 3 and 4. Unlike this electronic feature of 2, complexes 5 and 6 exhibit mainly thf and pyrrole characters, respectively, for their high-lying occupied orbitals. Electronic structures of bisuranyl complexes 7-12, albeit a little more complicated, are revealed to be similar to those of the corresponding monouranyl complexes. Finally, energies of formation reactions of the above complexes were calculated and compared with available experimental results.

Promising density functional theory methods for predicting the structures of uranyl complexes

By examining the overall accuracy of different theoretical methods in predicting the U–X bond distances (of a series uranyl complexes), we found that both the global-hybrid meta-GGA functional of BB1K and the range-seperated LC-BLYP functional are fairly good (even better than the popular B3LYP method).

Oxo-group-14-element bond formation in binuclear uranium(V) Pacman complexes

Simple and versatile routes to the functionalization of uranyl-derived U(V)-oxo groups are presented. The oxo-lithiated, binuclear uranium(V)-oxo complexes [{(py)3LiOUO}2(L)] and [{(py)3LiOUO}(OUOSiMe3)(L)] were prepared by the direct combination of the uranyl(VI) silylamide "ate" complex [Li(py)2][(OUO)(N")3] (N" = N(SiMe3)2) with the polypyrrolic macrocycle H4L or the mononuclear uranyl (VI) Pacman complex [UO2(py)(H2L)], respectively. These oxo-metalated complexes display distinct U-O single and multiple bonding patterns and an axial/equatorial arrangement of oxo ligands. Their ready availability allows the direct functionalization of the uranyl oxo group leading to the binuclear uranium(V) oxo-stannylated complexes [{(R3Sn)OUO}2(L)] (R = nBu, Ph), which represent rare examples of mixed uranium/tin complexes. Also, uranium-oxo-group exchange occurred in reactions with [TiCl(OiPr)3] to form U-O-C bonds [{(py)3LiOUO}(OUOiPr)(L)] and [(iPrOUO)2(L)]. Overall, these represent the first family of uranium(V) complexes that are oxo-functionalised by Group 14 elements.

Oxo-functionalization and reduction of the uranyl ion through lanthanide-element bond homolysis: synthetic, structural, and bonding analysis of a series of singly reduced uranyl-rare earth 5f1-4f(n) complexes

The heterobimetallic complexes [{UO2Ln(py)2(L)}2], combining a singly reduced uranyl cation and a rare-earth trication in a binucleating polypyrrole Schiff-base macrocycle (Pacman) and bridged through a uranyl oxo-group, have been prepared for Ln = Sc, Y, Ce, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Er, Yb, and Lu. These compounds are formed by the single-electron reduction of the Pacman uranyl complex [UO2(py)(H2L)] by the rare-earth complexes Ln(III)(A)3 (A = N(SiMe3)2, OC6H3Bu(t)2-2,6) via homolysis of a Ln-A bond. The complexes are dimeric through mutual uranyl exo-oxo coordination but can be cleaved to form the trimetallic, monouranyl "ate" complexes [(py)3LiOUO(μ-X)Ln(py)(L)] by the addition of lithium halides. X-ray crystallographic structural characterization of many examples reveals very similar features for monomeric and dimeric series, the dimers containing an asymmetric U2O2 diamond core with shorter uranyl U═O distances than in the monomeric complexes. The synthesis by Ln(III)-A homolysis allows [5f(1)-4f(n)]2 and Li[5f(1)-4f(n)] complexes with oxo-bridged metal cations to be made for all possible 4f(n) configurations. Variable-temperature SQUID magnetometry and IR, NIR, and EPR spectroscopies on the complexes are utilized to provide a basis for the better understanding of the electronic structure of f-block complexes and their f-electron exchange interactions. Furthermore, the structures, calculated by restricted-core or all-electron methods, are compared along with the proposed mechanism of formation of the complexes. A strong antiferromagnetic coupling between the metal centers, mediated by the oxo groups, exists in the U(V)Sm(III) monomer, whereas the dimeric U(V)Dy(III) complex was found to show magnetic bistability at 3 K, a property required for the development of single-molecule magnets.

Strongly coupled binuclear uranium-oxo complexes from uranyl oxo rearrangement and reductive silylation

The most common motif in uranium chemistry is the d(0)f(0) uranyl ion [UO(2)](2+) in which the oxo groups are rigorously linear and inert. Alternative geometries, such as the cis-uranyl, have been identified theoretically and implicated in oxo-atom transfer reactions that are relevant to environmental speciation and nuclear waste remediation. Single electron reduction is now known to impart greater oxo-group reactivity, but with retention of the linear OUO motif, and reactions of the oxo groups to form new covalent bonds remain rare. Here, we describe the synthesis, structure, reactivity and magnetic properties of a binuclear uranium-oxo complex. Formed through a combination of reduction and oxo-silylation and migration from a trans to a cis position, the new butterfly-shaped Si-OUO(2)UO-Si molecule shows remarkably strong U(V)-U(V) coupling and chemical inertness, suggesting that this rearranged uranium oxo motif might exist for other actinide species in the environment, and have relevance to the aggregation of actinide oxide clusters.