1
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Lin X, Lu X, Tang S, Wu W, Mo Y. Multiconfigurational actinide nitrides assisted by double Möbius aromaticity. Chem Sci 2024; 15:8216-8226. [PMID: 38817572 PMCID: PMC11134321 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc01549e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the bonding nature between actinides and main-group elements remains a key challenge in actinide chemistry due to the involvement of f orbitals. Herein, we propose a unique "aromaticity-assisted multiconfiguration" (AAM) model to elucidate the bonding nature in actinide nitrides (An2N2, An = Ac, Th, Pa, U). Each planar four-membered An2N2 with equivalent An-N bonds possesses four delocalized Ï electrons and four delocalized Ï electrons, forming a new family of double Möbius aromaticity that contributes to the molecular stability. The unprecedented aromaticity further supports actinide nitrides to exhibit multiconfigurational characters, where the unpaired electrons (2, 4 or 6 in naked Th2N2, Pa2N2 or U2N2, respectively) either are spin-free and localized on metal centres or form metal-ligand bonds. High-level multiconfigurational computations confirm an open-shell singlet ground state for actinide nitrides, with small energy gaps to high spin states. This is consistent with the antiferromagnetic nature observed experimentally in uranium nitrides. The novel AAM bonding model can be authenticated in both experimentally identified compounds containing a U2N2 motif and other theoretically modelled An2N2 clusters and is thus expected to be a general chemical bonding pattern between actinides and main-group elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuhui Lin
- School of Physics, Central South University Changsha Hunan 410083 China
| | - Xiaoli Lu
- School of Chemistry, Southwest Jiaotong University Chengdu Sichuan 610031 China
| | - Shenghui Tang
- School of Chemistry, Southwest Jiaotong University Chengdu Sichuan 610031 China
| | - Wei Wu
- The State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, iChEM, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Xiamen Fujian 361005 China
| | - Yirong Mo
- Department of Nanoscience, Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro NC 27401 USA
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2
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Yu Y, Hao Y, Xiao B, Langer E, Novikov SA, Ramanantoanina H, Pidchenko I, Schild D, Albrecht-Schoenzart TE, Eichel RA, Vitova T, Alekseev EV. U(V) Stabilization via Aliovalent Incorporation of Ln(III) into Oxo-salt Framework. Chemistry 2024:e202401033. [PMID: 38775406 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202401033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Pentavalent uranium compounds are key components of uranium's redox chemistry and play important roles in environmental transport. Despite this, well-characterized U(V) compounds are scarce primarily because of their instability with respect to disproportionation to U(IV) and U(VI). In this work, we provide an alternate route to incorporation of U(V) into a crystalline lattice where different oxidation states of uranium can be stabilized through the incorporation of secondary cations with different sizes and charges. We show that iriginite-based crystalline layers allow for systematically replacing U(VI) with U(V) through aliovalent substitution of 2+ alkaline-earth or 3+ rare-earth cations as dopant ions under high-temperature conditions, specifically Ca(UVIO2)W4O14 and Ln(UVO2)W4O14 (Ln=Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Yb). Evidence for the existence of U(V) and U(VI) is supported by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, high energy resolution X-ray absorption near edge structure, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and optical absorption spectroscopy. In contrast with other reported U(V) materials, the U(V) single crystals obtained using this route are relatively large (several centimeters) and easily reproducible, and thus provide a substantial improvement in the facile synthesis and stabilization of U(V).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Yu
- School of Physics and Electronics information, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, 341000, PR China
| | - Yucheng Hao
- School of Energy Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hefei University, Hefei, 230000, PR China
| | - Bin Xiao
- Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK-6), Forschungszentrum JĂŒlich, D-52428, JĂŒlich, Germany
| | - Eike Langer
- Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK-6), Forschungszentrum JĂŒlich, D-52428, JĂŒlich, Germany
| | - Sergei A Novikov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, 302 East Campus Road, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Harry Ramanantoanina
- Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, D-76125, Karlsruhe, Germany g
| | - Ivan Pidchenko
- Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, D-76125, Karlsruhe, Germany g
| | - Dieter Schild
- Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, D-76125, Karlsruhe, Germany g
| | - Thomas E Albrecht-Schoenzart
- Department of Chemistry and Nuclear Science and Engineering Center, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, 80401, USA
| | - RĂŒdiger-A Eichel
- Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK-9), Forschungszentrum JĂŒlich, D-52428, JĂŒlich, Germany
| | - Tonya Vitova
- Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, D-76125, Karlsruhe, Germany g
| | - Evgeny V Alekseev
- Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK-9), Forschungszentrum JĂŒlich, D-52428, JĂŒlich, Germany
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3
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Li K, Rajeshkumar T, Zhao Y, Wang T, Maron L, Zhu C. Temperature induced single-crystal to single-crystal transformation of uranium azide complexes. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:2966-2969. [PMID: 38376444 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc00546e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
The monomeric and dimeric uranium azide complexes {[(CH3)2NCH2CH2NPiPr2]2U(N3)2} (2) and {[(CH3)2NCH2CH2NPiPr2]2U(N3)2}2 (3) were synthesized by treating complex 1 with NaN3 at 60 and -20 °C, respectively. A temperature-induced single-crystal to single-crystal transformation of 3 to 2 was observed. The reduction of either 2 or 3 with KC8 yields a uranium nitride complex {[(CH3)2NCH2CH2NPiPr2]4U2(Ό-N)2} (4).
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Thayalan Rajeshkumar
- LPCNO, CNRS & INSA, Université Paul Sabatier, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, Toulouse 31077, France.
| | - Yue Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Tianwei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
| | - Laurent Maron
- LPCNO, CNRS & INSA, Université Paul Sabatier, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, Toulouse 31077, France.
| | - Congqing Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
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4
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Batov MS, Del Rosal I, Scopelliti R, Fadaei-Tirani F, Zivkovic I, Maron L, Mazzanti M. Multimetallic Uranium Nitride Cubane Clusters from Dinitrogen Cleavage. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:26435-26443. [PMID: 37991736 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c10617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Dinitrogen cleavage provides an attractive but poorly studied route to the assembly of multimetallic nitride clusters. Here, we show that the monoelectron reduction of the dinitrogen complex [{U(OC6H2-But3-2,4,6)3}2(ÎŒ-η2:η2-N2)], 1, allows us to generate, for the first time, a uranium complex presenting a rare triply reduced N2 moiety ((ÎŒ-η2:η2-N2)âą3-). Importantly, the bound dinitrogen can be further reduced, affording the U4N4 cubane cluster, 3, and the U6N6 edge-shared cubane cluster, 4, thus showing that (N2)âą3- can be an intermediate in nitride formation. The tetranitride cluster showed high reactivity with electrophiles, yielding ammonia quantitatively upon acid addition and promoting CO cleavage to yield quantitative conversion of nitride into cyanide. These results show that dinitrogen reduction provides a versatile route for the assembly of large highly reactive nitride clusters, with U6N6 providing the first example of a molecular nitride of any metal formed from a complete cleavage of three N2 molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail S Batov
- Institut des Sciences et IngĂ©nierie Chimiques, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Iker Del Rosal
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-Objets, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, 31077 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
| | - Rosario Scopelliti
- Institut des Sciences et IngĂ©nierie Chimiques, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Farzaneh Fadaei-Tirani
- Institut des Sciences et IngĂ©nierie Chimiques, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ivica Zivkovic
- Laboratory for Quantum Magnetism, Institute of Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Maron
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-Objets, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, 31077 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
| | - Marinella Mazzanti
- Institut des Sciences et IngĂ©nierie Chimiques, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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5
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Jori N, Keener M, Rajeshkumar T, Scopelliti R, Maron L, Mazzanti M. Dinitrogen cleavage by a dinuclear uranium(iii) complex. Chem Sci 2023; 14:13485-13494. [PMID: 38033909 PMCID: PMC10686047 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc05253b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the role of multimetallic cooperativity and of alkali ion-binding in the second coordination sphere is important for the design of complexes that can promote dinitrogen (N2) cleavage and functionalization. Herein, we compare the reaction products and mechanism of N2 reduction of the previously reported K2-bound dinuclear uranium(iii) complex, [K2{[UIII(OSi(OtBu)3)3]2(ÎŒ-O)}], B, with those of the analogous dinuclear uranium(iii) complexes, [K(2.2.2-cryptand)][K{UIII(OSi(OtBu)3)3}2(ÎŒ-O)], 1, and [K(2.2.2-cryptand)]2[{UIII(OSi(OtBu)3)3}2(ÎŒ-O)], 2, where one or two K+ ions have been removed from the second coordination sphere by addition of 2.2.2-cryptand. In this study, we found that the complete removal of the K+ ions from the inner coordination sphere leads to an enhanced reducing ability, as confirmed by cyclic voltammetry studies, of the resulting complex 2, and yields two new species upon N2 addition, namely the U(iii)/U(iv) complex, [K(2.2.2-cryptand)][{UIII(OSi(OtBu)3)3}(ÎŒ-O){UIV(OSi(OtBu)3)3}], 3, and the N2 cleavage product, the bis-nitride, terminal-oxo complex, [K(2.2.2-cryptand)]2[{UV(OSi(OtBu)3)3}(ÎŒ-N)2{UVI(OSi(OtBu)3)2(Îș-O)}], 4. We propose that the formation of these two products involves a tetranuclear uranium-N2 intermediate that can only form in the absence of coordinated alkali ions, resulting in a six-electron transfer and cleavage of N2, demonstrating the possibility of a three-electron transfer from U(iii) to N2. These results give an insight into the relationship between alkali ion binding modes, multimetallic cooperativity and reactivity, and demonstrate how these parameters can be tuned to cleave and functionalize N2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadir Jori
- Insititut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Megan Keener
- Insititut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Thayalan Rajeshkumar
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-objets, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées 31077 Toulouse Cedex 4 France
| | - Rosario Scopelliti
- X-Ray Diffraction and Surface Analytics Platform, Institut des Sciences et IngĂ©nierie Chimiques, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL) CH-1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Laurent Maron
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-objets, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées 31077 Toulouse Cedex 4 France
| | - Marinella Mazzanti
- Insititut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
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6
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Keener M, Maria L, Mazzanti M. Progress in the chemistry of molecular actinide-nitride compounds. Chem Sci 2023; 14:6493-6521. [PMID: 37350843 PMCID: PMC10283502 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc01435e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The chemistry of actinide-nitrides has witnessed significant advances in the last ten years with a large focus on uranium and a few breakthroughs with thorium. Following the early discovery of the first terminal and bridging nitride complexes, various synthetic routes to uranium nitrides have since been identified, although the range of ligands capable of stabilizing uranium nitrides still remains scarce. In particular, both terminal- and bridging-nitrides possess attractive advantages for potential reactivity, especially in light of the recent development of uranium complexes for dinitrogen reduction and functionalization. The first molecular thorium bridged-nitride complexes have also been recently identified, anticipating the possibility of expanding nitride chemistry not only to low-valent thorium, but also to the transuranic elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Keener
- Group of Coordination Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering - ISIC, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Leonor Maria
- Centro de QuĂmica Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences, Instituto Superior TĂ©cnico, Universidade de Lisboa 2695-066 Bobadela Portugal
| | - Marinella Mazzanti
- Group of Coordination Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering - ISIC, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
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7
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Meng Q, Abella L, Yao YR, Sergentu DC, Yang W, Liu X, Zhuang J, Echegoyen L, Autschbach J, Chen N. A charged diatomic triple-bonded UâĄN species trapped in C 82 fullerene cages. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7192. [PMID: 36418311 PMCID: PMC9684569 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34651-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Actinide diatomic molecules are ideal models to study elusive actinide multiple bonds, but most of these diatomic molecules have so far only been studied in solid inert gas matrices. Herein, we report a charged UâĄN diatomic species captured in fullerene cages and stabilized by the U-fullerene coordination interaction. Two diatomic clusterfullerenes, viz. UN@Cs(6)-C82 and UN@C2(5)-C82, were successfully synthesized and characterized. Crystallographic analysis reveals U-N bond lengths of 1.760(7) and 1.760(20) Ă
in UN@Cs(6)-C82 and UN@C2(5)-C82. Moreover, UâĄN was found to be immobilized and coordinated to the fullerene cages at 100âK but it rotates inside the cage at 273âK. Quantum-chemical calculations show a (UN)2+@(C82)2â electronic structure with formal +5 oxidation state (f1) of U and unambiguously demonstrate the presence of a UâĄN bond in the clusterfullerenes. This study constitutes an approach to stabilize fundamentally important actinide multiply bonded species. Diatomic actinide molecules are ideal models for studying rare multiple-bond motifs. Here, the authors report host-guest structures of metastable charged UâĄN diatoms confined in fullerene cages and stabilized by coordinative electron transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyu Meng
- grid.263761.70000 0001 0198 0694College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 P. R. China
| | - Laura Abella
- grid.273335.30000 0004 1936 9887Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Natural Sciences Complex, Buffalo, NY 14260-3000 USA
| | - Yang-Rong Yao
- grid.59053.3a0000000121679639Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026 P. R. China
| | - Dumitru-Claudiu Sergentu
- grid.8168.70000000419371784A.I. Cuza University of IaÈi, RA-03 Laboratory (RECENT AIR), IaÈi, 700506 Romania
| | - Wei Yang
- grid.263761.70000 0001 0198 0694College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 P. R. China
| | - Xinye Liu
- grid.263761.70000 0001 0198 0694College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 P. R. China
| | - Jiaxin Zhuang
- grid.263761.70000 0001 0198 0694College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 P. R. China
| | - Luis Echegoyen
- grid.267324.60000 0001 0668 0420Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at El Paso, 500âW University Avenue, El Paso, Texas 79968 USA
| | - Jochen Autschbach
- grid.273335.30000 0004 1936 9887Department of Chemistry, University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Natural Sciences Complex, Buffalo, NY 14260-3000 USA
| | - Ning Chen
- grid.263761.70000 0001 0198 0694College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, and State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123 P. R. China
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8
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Wang P, Zhao Y, Zhu C. Photolysis, Thermolysis, and Reduction of a Uranium Azide Complex Supported by a Double-Layer NâP Ligand. Organometallics 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.organomet.2c00240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Penglong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Congqing Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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9
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Photochemical Synthesis of Transition Metal-Stabilized Uranium(VI) Nitride Complexes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3809. [PMID: 35778419 PMCID: PMC9249861 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31582-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Uranium nitrides play important roles in dinitrogen activation and functionalization and in chemistry for nuclear fuels, but the synthesis and isolation of the highly reactive uranium(VI) nitrides remains challenging. Here, we report an example of transition metal (TM) stabilized U(VI) nitride complexes, which are generated by the photolysis of azide-bridged U(IV)-TM (TMâ=âRh, Ir) precursors. The U(V) nitride intermediates with bridged azide ligands are isolated successfully by careful control of the irradiation time, suggesting that the photolysis of azide-bridged U(IV)-TM precursors is a stepwise process. The presence of two U(VI) nitrides stabilized by three TMs is clearly demonstrated by an X-ray crystallographic study. These TM stabilized U(V) nitride intermediates and U(VI) nitride products exhibit excellent stability both in the solid-state and in THF solution under ambient light. Density functional theory calculations show that the photolysis necessary to break the N-N bond of the azide ligands implies excitation from uranium f-orbital to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), as suggested by the strong antibonding N-(N2) character present in the latter.
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10
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King DM, Atkinson BE, Chatelain L, Gregson M, Seed JA, Wooles AJ, Kaltsoyannis N, Liddle ST. Uranium-nitride chemistry: uranium-uranium electronic communication mediated by nitride bridges. Dalton Trans 2022; 51:8855-8864. [PMID: 35622422 PMCID: PMC9171730 DOI: 10.1039/d2dt00998f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of [UIV(N3)(TrenTIPS)] (1, TrenTIPS = {N(CH2CH2NSiPri3)3}3-) with excess Li resulted in the isolation of [{UIV(ÎŒ-NLi2)(TrenTIPS)}2] (2), which exhibits a diuranium(IV) 'diamond-core' dinitride motif. Over-reduction of 1 produces [UIII(TrenTIPS)] (3), and together with known [{UV(ÎŒ-NLi)(TrenTIPS)}2] (4) an overall reduction sequence 1 â 4 â 2 â 3 is proposed. Attempts to produce an odd-electron nitride from 2 resulted in the formation of [{UIV(TrenTIPS)}2(ÎŒ-NH)(ÎŒ-NLi2)Li] (5). Use of heavier alkali metals did not result in the formation of analogues of 2, emphasising the role of the high charge-to-radius-ratio of lithium stabilising the charge build up at the nitride. Variable-temperature magnetic data for 2 and 5 reveal large low-temperature magnetic moments, suggesting doubly degenerate ground states, where the effective symmetry of the strong crystal field of the nitride dominates over the spin-orbit coupled nature of the ground multiplet of uranium(IV). Spin Hamiltonian modelling of the magnetic data for 2 and 5 suggest UâŻU anti-ferromagnetic coupling of -4.1 and -3.4 cm-1, respectively. The nature of the UâŻU electronic communication was probed computationally, revealing a borderline case where the prospect of direct uranium-uranium bonding was raised, but in-depth computational analysis reveals that if any uranium-uranium bonding is present it is weak, and instead the nitride centres dominate the mediation of UâŻU electronic communication. This highlights the importance of obtaining high-level ab initio insight when probing potential actinide-actinide electronic communication and bonding in weakly coupled systems. The computational analysis highlights analogies between the 'diamond-core' dinitride of 2 and matrix-isolated binary U2N2.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M King
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Benjamin E Atkinson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Lucile Chatelain
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Matthew Gregson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| | - John A Seed
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Ashley J Wooles
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Nikolas Kaltsoyannis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Stephen T Liddle
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
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11
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Barluzzi L, Jori N, He T, Rajeshkumar T, Scopelliti R, Maron L, Oyala P, Agapie T, Mazzanti M. Heterometallic uranium/molybdenum nitride synthesis via partial N-atom transfer. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:4655-4658. [PMID: 35319046 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc00473a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The reaction of a terminal Mo(II) nitride with a U(III) complex yields a heterodimetallic U-Mo nitride which is the first example of a transition metal-capped uranium nitride. The nitride is triply bonded to U(V) and singly bonded to Mo(0) and supports a U-Mo interaction. This compound shows reactivity toward CO oxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciano Barluzzi
- Group of Coordination Chemistry, Insititut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Nadir Jori
- Group of Coordination Chemistry, Insititut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Tianyi He
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Thayalan Rajeshkumar
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-objets, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, 31077 Toulouse, Cedex 4, France
| | - Rosario Scopelliti
- Group of Coordination Chemistry, Insititut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Laurent Maron
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-objets, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, 31077 Toulouse, Cedex 4, France
| | - Paul Oyala
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Theodor Agapie
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA
| | - Marinella Mazzanti
- Group of Coordination Chemistry, Insititut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Hsueh FC, Barluzzi L, Keener M, Rajeshkumar T, Maron L, Scopelliti R, Mazzanti M. Reactivity of Multimetallic Thorium Nitrides Generated by Reduction of Thorium Azides. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:3222-3232. [PMID: 35138846 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c13150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Thorium nitrides are likely intermediates in the reported cleavage and functionalization of dinitrogen by molecular thorium complexes and are attractive compounds for the study of multiple bond formation in f-element chemistry, but only one example of thorium nitride isolable from solution was reported. Here, we show that stable multimetallic azide/nitride thorium complexes can be generated by reduction of thorium azide precursorsâa route that has failed so far to produce Th nitrides. Once isolated, the thorium azide/nitride clusters, M3ThâNâTh (M = K or Cs), are stable in solutions probably due to the presence of alkali ions capping the nitride, but their synthesis requires a careful control of the reaction conditions (solvent, temperature, nature of precursor, and alkali ion). The nature of the cation plays an important role in generating a nitride product and results in large structural differences with a bent ThâNâTh moiety found in the K-bound nitride as a result of a strong K-nitride interaction and a linear arrangement in the Cs-bound nitride. Reactivity studies demonstrated the ability of Th nitrides to cleave CO in ambient conditions yielding CN-.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Che Hsueh
- Group of Coordination Chemistry, Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Luciano Barluzzi
- Group of Coordination Chemistry, Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Megan Keener
- Group of Coordination Chemistry, Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Thayalan Rajeshkumar
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-objets, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, 31077 Cedex 4 Toulouse, France
| | - Laurent Maron
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-objets, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, 31077 Cedex 4 Toulouse, France
| | - Rosario Scopelliti
- Group of Coordination Chemistry, Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marinella Mazzanti
- Group of Coordination Chemistry, Institut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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13
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Keener M, Fadaei-Tirani F, Scopelliti R, Zivkovic I, Mazzanti M. Nitrogen activation and cleavage by a multimetallic uranium complex. Chem Sci 2022; 13:8025-8035. [PMID: 35919442 PMCID: PMC9278153 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc02997a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Multimetallic-multielectron cooperativity plays a key role in the metal-mediated cleavage of N2 to nitrides (N3â). In particular, low-valent uranium complexes coupled with strong alkali metal reducing agents can lead to N2 cleavage, but often, it is ambiguous how many electrons are transferred from the uranium centers to cleave N2. Herein, we designed new dinuclear uranium nitride complexes presenting a combination of electronically diverse ancillary ligands to promote the multielectron transformation of N2. Two heteroleptic diuranium nitride complexes, [K{UIV(OSi(OtBu)3)(N(SiMe3)2)2}2(ÎŒ-N)] (1) and [Cs{UIV(OSi(OtBu)3)2(N(SiMe3)2)}2(ÎŒ-N)] (3-Cs), containing different combinations of OSi(OtBu)3 and N(SiMe3)2 ancillary ligands, were synthesized. We found that both complexes could be reduced to their U(iii)/U(iv) analogues, and the complex, [K2{UIV/III(OSi(OtBu)3)2(N(SiMe3)2)}2(ÎŒ-N)] (6-K), could be further reduced to a putative U(iii)/U(iii) species that is capable of promoting the 4eâ reduction of N2, yielding the N24âcomplex [K3{UV(OSi(OtBu)3)2(N(SiMe3)2)}2(ÎŒ-N)(ÎŒ-η2:η2-N2)], 7. Parallel N2 reduction pathways were also identified, leading to the isolation of N2 cleavage products, [K3{UVI(OSi(OtBu)3)2(N(SiMe3)2)(
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N)}(ÎŒ-N)2{UV(OSi(OtBu)3)2(N(SiMe3)2)}]2, 8, and [K4{(OSi(OtBu)3)2UV)(N)}(ÎŒ-NH)(ÎŒ-Îș2:C,N-CH2SiMe2NSiMe3)-{UV(OSi(OtBu)3)2][K(N(SiMe3)2]2, 9. These complexes provide the first example of N2 cleavage to nitride by a uranium complex in the absence of reducing alkali metals. Combinations of ligands were used to tune U
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NU complexes yielding a U(iii)/U(iii) nitride, which activates N2. Parallel N2 reduction pathways were identified, leading to the first example of N2 cleavage by U without external alkali reducing agents.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Keener
- Institut des Sciences et IngĂ©nierie Chimiques, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Farzaneh Fadaei-Tirani
- Institut des Sciences et IngĂ©nierie Chimiques, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Rosario Scopelliti
- Institut des Sciences et IngĂ©nierie Chimiques, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ivica Zivkovic
- Laboratory for Quantum Magnetism, Institute of Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marinella Mazzanti
- Institut des Sciences et IngĂ©nierie Chimiques, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
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14
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Jori N, Rajeshkumar T, Scopelliti R, ZÌivkoviÄ I, Sienkiewicz A, Maron L, Mazzanti M. Cation assisted binding and cleavage of dinitrogen by uranium complexes. Chem Sci 2022; 13:9232-9242. [PMID: 36093011 PMCID: PMC9384805 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc02530b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
N2 binding affinity decreases markedly in a series of isostructural U(iii)âalkali ions complexes with increasing cation size. N2 binding is undetectable in the Cs analogue, but the first example of cesium-assisted N2 cleavage to bis-nitride was observed at ambient condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadir Jori
- Insititut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Thayalan Rajeshkumar
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-objets, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, Cedex 4, 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Rosario Scopelliti
- Insititut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ivica ZÌivkoviÄ
- Laboratory for Quantum Magnetism, Institute of Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland
| | - Andrzej Sienkiewicz
- Laboratory for Quantum Magnetism, Institute of Physics, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- ADSresonances Sà rl, Route de GenÚve 60B, 1028 Préverenges, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Maron
- Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie des Nano-objets, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées, Cedex 4, 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Marinella Mazzanti
- Insititut des Sciences et Ingénierie Chimiques, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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15
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Maria L, Bandeira NAG, Marçalo J, Santos IC, Ferreira ASD, Ascenso JR. Experimental and Computational Study of a Tetraazamacrocycle Bis(aryloxide) Uranyl Complex and of the Analogues {EâUâNR} 2+ (E = O and NR). Inorg Chem 2021; 61:346-356. [PMID: 34898186 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c02934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The reaction of [U(Îș6-{(t-Bu2ArO)2Me2-cyclam})I][I] (H2{(t-Bu2ArO)2Me2-cyclam} = 1,8-bis(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butyl)-4,11-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) with 2 equiv of NaNO2 in acetonitrile results in the isolation of the uranyl complex [UO2{(t-Bu2ArO)2Me2-cyclam}] (3) in 31% yield, which was fully characterized, including by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Density functional theory (DFT) computations were performed to evaluate and compare the level of covalency within the UâE bonds in 3 and in the analogous trans-bis(imido) [U(Îș4-{(t-Bu2ArO)2Me2-cyclam})(NPh)2] (1) and trans-oxido-imido [U(Îș4-{(t-Bu2ArO)2Me2-cyclam})(O)(NPh)] (2) complexes. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis allowed us to determine the mixing covalency parameter λ, showing that in 2, where both U-Ooxido and U-Nimido bonds are present, the U-Nimido bond registers more covalency with regard to 1, and the opposite is seen for U-Ooxido with respect to 3. However, the covalency driven by orbital overlap in the U-Nimido bond is slightly higher in 1 than in 2. The 15N-labeled complexes [U(Îș4-{(t-Bu2ArO)2Me2-cyclam})(15NPh)2] (1-15N) and [U(Îș4-{(t-Bu2ArO)2Me2-cyclam})(O)(15NPh)] (2-15N) were prepared and analyzed by solution 15N NMR spectroscopy. The calculated and experimental 15N chemical shifts are in good agreement, displaying the same trend of ÎŽN (1-15N) > ÎŽN (2-15N) and reveal that the 15N chemical shift may serve as a probe for the covalency of the UâNR bond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonor Maria
- Centro de QuĂmica Estrutural (CQE), Instituto Superior TĂ©cnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal
| | - Nuno A G Bandeira
- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculdade de CiĂȘncias, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joaquim Marçalo
- Centro de QuĂmica Estrutural (CQE), Instituto Superior TĂ©cnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal
| | - Isabel C Santos
- Centro de CiĂȘncias e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior TĂ©cnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 2695-066 Bobadela, Portugal
| | - Ana S D Ferreira
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.,UCIBIO - Applied Molecular Biosciences Unit, Department of Chemistry/Department of Life Sciences, NOVA School of Science and Technology, NOVA University Lisbon, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal
| | - José R Ascenso
- Centro de QuĂmica Estrutural (CQE), Instituto Superior TĂ©cnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1000-049 Lisboa, Portugal
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16
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Staun SL, Wu G, Lukens WW, Hayton TW. Synthesis of a heterobimetallic actinide nitride and an analysis of its bonding. Chem Sci 2021; 12:15519-15527. [PMID: 35003580 PMCID: PMC8653994 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc05072a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Reaction of [K(DME)][Th{N(R)(SiMe2 CH2)}2(NR2)] (R = SiMe3) with 1 equiv. of [U(NR2)3(NH2)] (1) in THF, in the presence of 18-crown-6, results in formation of a bridged uranium-thorium nitride complex, [K(18-crown-6)(THF)2][(NR2)3UIV(ÎŒ-N)ThIV(NR2)3] (2), which can be isolated in 48% yield after work-up. Complex 2 is the first isolable molecular mixed-actinide nitride complex. Also formed in the reaction is the methylene-bridged mixed-actinide nitride, [K(18-crown-6)][K(18-crown-6)(Et2O)2][(NR2)2U(ÎŒ-N)(ÎŒ-Îș2-C,N-CH2SiMe2NR)Th(NR2)2]2 (3), which can be isolated in 34% yield after work-up. Complex 3 is likely generated by deprotonation of a methyl group in 2 by [NR2]-, yielding the new ÎŒ-CH2 moiety and HNR2. Reaction of 2 with 0.5 equiv. of I2 results in formation of a UV/ThIV bridged nitride, [(NR2)3UV(ÎŒ-N)ThIV(NR2)3] (4), which can be isolated in 42% yield after work-up. The electronic structure of 4 was analyzed with EPR spectroscopy, SQUID magnetometry, and NIR-visible spectroscopy. This analysis demonstrated that the energies of 5f orbitals of 4 are largely determined by the strong ligand field exerted by the nitride ligand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selena L Staun
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
| | - Guang Wu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
| | - Wayne W Lukens
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Berkeley California 94720 USA
| | - Trevor W Hayton
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California 93106 USA
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17
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Keener M, Scopelliti R, Mazzanti M. Nitride protonation and NH 3 binding versus N-H bond cleavage in uranium nitrides. Chem Sci 2021; 12:12610-12618. [PMID: 34703546 PMCID: PMC8494049 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc03957a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The conversion of metal nitrides to NH3 is an essential step in dinitrogen fixation, but there is limited knowledge of the reactivity of nitrides with protons (H+). Herein, we report comparative studies for the reactions of H+ and NH3 with uranium nitrides, containing different types of ancillary ligands. We show that the differences in ancillary ligands, leads to dramatically different reactivity. The nitride group, in nitride-bridged cationic and anionic diuranium(iv) complexes supported by âN(SiMe3)2 ligands, is resistant toward protonation by weak acids, while stronger acids result in ligand loss by protonolysis. Moreover, the basic âN(SiMe3)2 ligands promote the NâH heterolytic bond cleavage of NH3, yielding a ânakedâ diuranium complex containing three bridging ligands, a nitride (N3â) and two NH2 ligands. Conversely, in the nitride-bridged diuranium(iv) complex supported by âOSi(OtBu)3 ligands, the nitride group is easily protonated to afford NH3, which binds the U(iv) ion strongly, resulting in a mononuclear UâNH3 complex, where NH3 can be displaced by addition of strong acids. Furthermore, the UâOSi(OtBu)3 bonds were found to be stable, even in the presence of stronger acids, such as NH4BPh4, therefore indicating that âOSi(OtBu)3 supporting ligands are well suited to be used when acidic conditions are required, such as in the H+/eâ mediated catalytic conversion of N2 to NH3. Ancillary ligands alter the reactivity of U-nitrides with H+, relevant to N2 conversion to NH3. The amides lead to complete ligand loss and NH3 activation, while for siloxides, the nitride is protonated to NH3 leaving the ancillary ligands intact.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Keener
- Institut des Sciences et IngĂ©nierie Chimiques, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL) 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Rosario Scopelliti
- Institut des Sciences et IngĂ©nierie Chimiques, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL) 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
| | - Marinella Mazzanti
- Institut des Sciences et IngĂ©nierie Chimiques, Ăcole Polytechnique FĂ©dĂ©rale de Lausanne (EPFL) 1015 Lausanne Switzerland
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18
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Du J, Seed JA, Berryman VEJ, Kaltsoyannis N, Adams RW, Lee D, Liddle ST. Exceptional uranium(VI)-nitride triple bond covalency from 15N nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and quantum chemical analysis. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5649. [PMID: 34561448 PMCID: PMC8463702 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25863-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining the nature and extent of covalency of early actinide chemical bonding is a fundamentally important challenge. Recently, X-ray absorption, electron paramagnetic, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic studies have probed actinide-ligand covalency, largely confirming the paradigm of early actinide bonding varying from ionic to polarised-covalent, with this range sitting on the continuum between ionic lanthanide and more covalent d transition metal analogues. Here, we report measurement of the covalency of a terminal uranium(VI)-nitride by 15N nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and find an exceptional nitride chemical shift and chemical shift anisotropy. This redefines the 15N nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy parameter space, and experimentally confirms a prior computational prediction that the uranium(VI)-nitride triple bond is not only highly covalent, but, more so than d transition metal analogues. These results enable construction of general, predictive metal-ligand 15N chemical shift-bond order correlations, and reframe our understanding of actinide chemical bonding to guide future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingzhen Du
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - John A Seed
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Victoria E J Berryman
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Nikolas Kaltsoyannis
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK
| | - Ralph W Adams
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Daniel Lee
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
| | - Stephen T Liddle
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
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