An insightful study on the reduction and extraction of neptunium assisted by molybdenum

High-level liquid waste (HLLW) generated through nuclear reactions and spent fuel reprocessing contains the critical transuranic element neptunium (Np). Thus, the efficient recovery of Np from HLLW via the TRPO (trialkylphosphine oxide) process is not only beneficial for radioactive contamination remediation but also boosts the recycling of precious nuclear resources. However, this process including Np(V)-Np(IV) conversion is highly dependent on the components coexisting in HLLW, and its underlying mechanism is still not clear, restricting the recovery of Np in multiple scenarios. Herein, the effect of coexisting metal ions on the reduction and extraction of Np(V) was studied, and molybdenum (Mo) was identified to play a vital role in this course. Additionally, in combination with absorption spectral analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and solvent extraction, the promotion of the extraction of Np by Mo was elucidated to be due to the catalytic reduction effect both in the aqueous phase and organic phase. This study can help researchers better understand the redox chemistry of Np in the treatment of HLLW.

Lanthanides Singing the Blues: Their Fascinating Role in the Assembly of Gigantic Molybdenum Blue Wheels

Molybdenum blues (MBs) are a distinct class of polyoxometalates, exhibiting versatile/impressive architectures and high structural flexibility. In acidified and reduced aqueous environments, isopolymolybdates generate precisely organizable building blocks, which enable unique nanoscopic molecular systems (MBs) to be constructed and further fine-tuned by hetero elements such as lanthanide (Ln) ions. This Review discusses wheel-shaped MB-based structure types with strong emphasis on the ∼30 Ln-containing MBs as of August 2021, which include both organically hybridized and nonhybridized structures synthesized to date. The spotlight is thereby put on the lanthanide ions and ligand types, which are crucial for the resulting Ln-patterns and alterations in the gigantic structures. Several critical steps and reaction conditions in their synthesis are highlighted, as well as appropriate methods to investigate them both in solid state and in solution. The final section addresses the homogeneous/heterogeneous catalytic, molecular recognition and separation properties of wheel-shaped Ln-MBs, emphasizing their inimitable behavior and encouraging their application in these areas.

Formation of Molybdenum Blue Nanoparticles in the Organic Reducing Area

Molybdenum blue dispersions were synthesized by reducing an acidic molybdate solution with glucose, hydroquinone and ascorbic acid. The influence of the H/Mo molar ratio on the rate of formation of molybdenum particles was established. For each reducing agent, were determined the rate constant and the order of the particle formation and were established the conditions for the formation of aggregative stable dispersion with the maximum concentration of particles. The dispersed phase is represented by toroidal molybdenum oxide nanoclusters, which was confirmed by the results of UV/Vis, FTIR, XPS spectroscopy and DLS.

The Over-Riding Role of Autocatalysis in Allylic Oxidation

In this paper we aim to highlight the need to consider the possible role of autocatalysis in oxidation reactions when using molecular oxygen as the terminal oxidant. Oxygen in its ground state is a diradical, and depending on the reaction conditions, it can initiate oxidation through radical pathways through mechanisms which do not require the presence of a catalyst. Consequently, we contrast the oxidation of benzyl alcohol with oxidation of α-pinene. For benzyl alcohol oxidation the initial reaction is the oxidative dehydrogenation to form benzaldehyde, a non-radical process; but the subsequent over-oxidation to benzoic acid is a radical process. In this case the role of the autocatalysed reaction can be minimised. With α-pinene, the oxidation reaction is via radical pathways and now the autocatalysed reaction can be dominant and, indeed, can be the preferred pathway for the formation of high yields of the desired verbenone product.

Graphic Abstract

Synthesis of Molybdenum Blue Dispersions Using Ascorbic Acid as Reducing Agent

Stable molybdenum blue nanoparticles dispersions were synthesized using ammonium heptamolybdate and ascorbic acid. The effect of molar ratios of reducing agent/Mo and acid/Mo on the speed of formation and stability of the disperse system has been demonstrated. The particles were characterized by UV/vis, infrared (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering (DLS) methods. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) method confirmed the presence of reduced MoV in the structure of molybdenum oxide nanoclusters, the proportion of which was 30%.

Stereoselective Assembly of Gigantic Chiral Molybdenum Blue Wheels Using Lanthanide Ions and Amino Acids

The synthesis of chiral polyoxometalates (POMs) is a challenge because of the difficulty to induce the formation of intrinsically chiral metal-oxo frameworks. Herein we report the stereoselective synthesis of a series of gigantic chiral Mo Blue (MB) POM clusters 1-5 that are formed by exploiting the synergy between coordinating lanthanides ions as symmetry breakers to produce MBs with chiral frameworks decorated with amino acids ligands; these promote the selective formation of enantiopure MBs. All the compounds share the same framework archetype, based on {Mo124Ce4}, which forms an intrinsically chiral Δ or Λ configurations, controlled by the configurations of functionalized chiral amino acids. The chirality and stability of 1-5 in solution are confirmed by circular dichroism, 1H NMR, and electrospray ion mobility-mass spectrometry studies. In addition, the framework of the {Mo124Ce4} MB not only behaves as a host able to trap a chiral {Mo8} cluster that is not accessible by traditional synthesis but also promotes the transformation of tryptophan to kynurenine in situ. This work demonstrates the potential and applicability of our synthetic strategy to produce gigantic chiral POM clusters capable of host-guest chemistry and selective synthetic transformations.