Synthesis and characterization of new thorium and uranium phenolate complexes

The reaction between the chelating amino bisphenole ligand (ONOO)H2 (1) [ONOO=MeOCH2CH2N{CH2-(2-O-C6H2-Bu2t-3,5)}2] and (ONNO)H2 (2) [ONNO=Me2NCH2CH2N{CH2-(2-O-C6H2-Bu2t-3,5)}2] with an excess of NaH gives the corresponding bis-sodium salts 3 and 4 quantitatively.The salts were reacted with thorium tetrachloride at room temperature to obtain the corresponding (ONOO)ThCl2 (5) and (ONNO)ThCl2 (6) complexes.However, ThCl4 and UCl4 react with (3) at higher temperatures to give the corresponding isomorphous homoleptic complexes (ONOO)2Th (7) and (ONOO)2U (8).We have also synthesized and characterized a thorium salicylaldiminato complex L3ThCl (11) [L=(C6H5)NCH(2-O-C6H2-Bu2t-3,5)], in order to study the effect of the bridged ligand on the molecular structure.

Graphical abstractThe synthesis and characterization of new organoactinide complexes using amino bis(phenolate) and salicylaldiminato ligands is reported.The crystal structure similarity between thorium and uranium complexes indicates that the 5f electrons are not involved in the bonding.The bridging effect among the ancillary ligand is presented.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide