Secondary Role of Aliphatic and Heterocyclic Amines in the Formation of Low-Temperature Amine-Bearing U, Np, and Pu(VI) Chromates

Uranyl compounds with tetrahedral oxoanions demonstrate a significant structural and topological diversity. Complexes of transuranium elements with such anions are not equally well-represented in the literature. To answer the question about the structural similarity in a series of An⁶⁺ complexes with XO₄^2- anions, we synthesized and studied 10 new U, Np, and Pu chromates with outer-sphere organic cations. The structural analysis and comparison with the literature data shows that the Np and Pu complexes are generally based on the same structural blocks as the uranyl compounds. Moreover, the chromate anion does not show any unique structural role as compared to the sulfate and selenate ions. As a result, the neptunium and plutonium chromates contain 1D and 2D structural units similar to those found in the uranyl sulfates and selenates. The templating role of the outer-sphere cations in the actinyl complexes with tetrahedral oxoanions is also not evident, and there is no clear correlation between the nature of the outer-sphere cations and the topology of the structural units.

Effect of solution acidity on the crystallization of polychromates in uranyl-bearing systems: synthesis and crystal structures of Rb2[(UO2)(Cr2O7)(NO3)2] and two new polymorphs of Rb2Cr3O10

Three new rubidium polychromates, Rb2[(UO2)(Cr2O7)(NO3)2] (1), γ-Rb2Cr3O10 (2) and δ-Rb2Cr3O10 (3) were prepared by combination of hydrothermal treatment at 220 °C and evaporation of aqueous solutions under ambient conditions. Compound 1 is monoclinic, P 2 1 / c $P{2}_{1}/c$ , a = 13.6542(19), b = 19.698(3), c = 11.6984(17) Å, β = 114.326(2)°, V = 2867.0(7) Å3, R 1 = 0.040; 2 is hexagonal, P 6 3 / m $P{6}_{3}/m$ , a = 11.991(2), c = 12.828(3) Å, γ = 120°, V = 1597.3(5) Å3, R 1 = 0.031; 3 is monoclinic, P 2 1 / n $P{2}_{1}/n$ , a = 7.446(3), b = 18.194(6), c = 7.848(3) Å, β = 99.953(9)°, V = 1047.3(7) Å3, R 1 = 0.037. In the crystal structure of 1, UO8 bipyramids and NO3 groups share edges to form [(UO2)(NO3)2] species which share common corners with dichromate Cr2O7 groups producing novel type of uranyl dichromate chains [(UO2)(Cr2O7)(NO3)2]2−. In the structures of new Rb2Cr3O10 polymorphs, CrO4 tetrahedra share vertices to form Cr3O10 2− species. The trichromate groups are aligned along the 63 screw axis forming channels running in the ab plane in the structure of 2. The Rb cations reside between the channels and in their centers completing the structure. The trichromate anions are linked by the Rb+ cations into a 3D framework in the structure of 3. Effect of solution acidity on the crystallization of polychromates in uranyl-bearing systems is discussed.

Topological analysis of the layered uranyl compounds bearing slabs with UO2:TO4 ratio of 2:3

Nine new templated uranyl sulfates and selenates, [(H9O4)2(H2O)][(UO2)2(SO4)3(H2O)2] (H9US), [(C5H7 NO)2(H2O)][(UO2)2(SeO4)3(H2O)2](H2O) (OUSe), [C6H6N3][H5O2] [(UO2)2(SeO4)3(H2O)] (BH5USe), [C6H6N3][H7O3][(UO2)2(SO4)3 (H2O)](H2O) (BH7US), [C6H16N][H5O2][(UO2)2(SeO4)3(H2O)] (TeH5USe), [C6H18N2][(UO2)2(SO4)3(H2O)] (TmUS), [H5O2]2 [(UO2)2(SeO4)3(H2O)](H2O) (H5USe-1), [H5O2]2[(UO2)2(SeO4)3 (H2O)2](H2O)9 (H5USe-2), and [C4H14N2][(UO2)2(SeO4)3(H2O)](H2O) (DmUSe) have been prepared by isothermal evaporation of aqueous solutions containing extra sulfuric or selenic acid. Their crystal structures can be considered as organo-inorganic hybrids constructed of alternating [(UO2)2 (TO4)3(H2O) n ]2− slabs (T = Se6+, S6+, n = 1, 2) and layers containing templating organic moieties and/or hydronium ions and water molecules. The organic and inorganic parts of the structures are linked by multiple hydrogen bonds. Besides structure description, we offer topological analysis of the inorganic fragments with UO2:TO4 ratio of 2:3 as modular units resulting from self-assembly of fundamental chains formed by [(UO2)2(TO4)2] tetramers and TO4 tetrahedra.

Complex Uranyl Dichromates Templated by Aza-Crowns

Three new uranyl dichromate compounds templated by aza-crown templates were obtained at room temperature by evaporation from aqueous solutions: (H2diaza-18-crown-6)2[(UO2)2(Cr2O7)4(H2O)2](H2O)3 (1), (H4[15]aneN4)[(UO2)2(CrO4)2(Cr2O7)2(H2O)] (H2O)3.5 (2) and (H4Cyclam)(H4[15]aneN4)2[(UO2)6(CrO4)8(Cr2O7)4](H2O)4 (3). The use of aza-crown templates made it possible to isolate unprecedented and complex one-dimensional units in 2 and 3, whereas the structure of 1 is based on simple uranyl-dichromate chains. It is very likely that the presence of relatively large organic molecules of aza-crown ethers does not allow uranyl chromate chain complexes to condense into the units of higher dimensionality (layers or frameworks). In general, the formation of 1, 2, and 3 is in agreement with the general principles elaborated for organically templated uranyl compounds. The negative charge of the [(UO2)(Cr2O7)2(H2O)]2−, [(UO2)2(CrO4)2(Cr2O7)2(H2O)]4− and [(UO2)3(CrO4)4(Cr2O7)2]6− one-dimensional inorganic motifs is compensated by the protonation of all nitrogen atoms in the molecules of aza-crowns.

Open-framework sodium uranyl selenate and sodium uranyl sulfate with protonated morpholino-N-acetic acid

The reaction of sodium N-morpholine acetate with selenic and sulfuric acid and uranyl nitrate results in the formation of two novel open-framework compounds, |Na(Hmfa)|[(UO2)2(SeO4)3(H2O)](H2O)2 (NaUSe) and [Na2(SO3OH)(Hmfa)]|(UO2)(SO4)2| (NaUS), respectively. Despite identical synthetic procedures, sulfate structure dramatically differs from selenate compound. Their common feature is an open-framework featuring two-dimensional system of channels occupied by protonated morpholino-N-acetic acid species. Coordination of Na atoms is different. In NaUSe, [(UO2)2 (SeO4)3(H2O)]2− layers are pillared by {Na2O8(H2O)2(Hmfa)2} complexes to form a microporous framework. In NaUS, UO7 and SO4 polyhedra of [(UO2)(SO4)2]2− chains share common oxygen atoms with Na-centered tetrameric complexes providing a three-dimensional integrity of the structure. Both of the compounds are characterized by IR spectroscopy.

Microporous uranyl chromates successively formed by evaporation from acidic solution

The first microporous framework structures containing uranium and chromium have been synthesized and characterized. Rb2[(UO2)2(CrO4)3(H2O)2](H2O)3 (1) was crystallized from uranyl chromate solution by evaporation. Further evaporation led to increased viscosity of the solution and overgrowing of Rb2[(UO2)2(CrO4)3(H2O)](H2O) (2) on the crystals of 1. With respect to 1, the framework of 2 is partially dehydrated. Both frameworks differ compositionally by only one water molecule, but this seemingly small difference affects significantly the pore size and overall structural topology of the frameworks, which present very different flexibility of the U–O–Cr links. These are rigid in the pillared framework of 1, in contrast to 2 where the U–O–Cr angles range from 126.3 to 168.2°, reflecting the substantial flexibility of Cr–O–U connections which make them comparable to the corresponding Mo–O–U links in uranyl molybdates.