Laser-Induced Thermal Decomposition of Uranium Coordination Compounds with Non-oxidic Ligands to Produce Nitride and Carbide Materials.

The production of ceramics from uranium coordination compounds can be achieved through thermal processing if an excess amount of the desired atoms (i.e., C or N), or reactive gaseous products (e.g., methane or nitrogen oxide) is made available to the reactive uranium metal core via decomposition/fragmentation of the surrounding ligand groups. Here, computational thermodynamic approaches were utilized to identify the temperatures necessary to produce uranium metal from some starting compounds─UI4(TMEDA)2, UCl4(TMEDA)2, UCl3(pyridine)x, and UI3(pyridine)4. Experimentally, precursors were irradiated by a laser under various gaseous environments (argon, nitrogen, and methane) creating extreme reaction conditions (i.e., fast heating, high temperature profile >2000 °C, and rapid cooling). Despite the fast dynamics associated with laser irradiation, the central uranium atom reacted with the thermal decomposition products of the ligands yielding uranium ceramics. Residual gas analysis identified vaporized products from the laser irradiation, and the final ceramic products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction. The composition of the uranium precursor as well as the gaseous environment had a direct impact on the production of the final phases.

In Situ High-Temperature Raman Spectroscopy of UCl3: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study.

Uranium trichloride (UCl3) has received growing interest for its use in uranium-fueled molten salt reactors and in the pyrochemical processing of used fuel. In this paper, we report for the first time the experimentally determined Raman spectra of UCl3, at both ambient condition and in situ high temperatures up to 871 K. The frequencies of five of the Raman-active vibrational modes (vi) of UCl3 exhibit a negative temperature derivative ((∂νi/∂T)P) with increasing temperature. This red-shift behavior is likely due to the elongation of U-Cl bonds. The average isobaric mode Grüneisen parameter (γiP = 0.91 ± 0.02) of UCl3 was determined through use of the coefficient of thermal expansion published in Vogel et al. (2021) and the (∂νi/∂T)P values determined in this study. These results are in general agreement with those calculated here by density functional theory (DFT+U). Finally, a comparison of the ambient band positions of UCl3 to those of isostructural lanthanide (La-Eu) and actinide chlorides (Am-Cf) has been made.

Remote Density Measurements of Molten Salts via Neutron Radiography.

With an increased interest in the use of molten salts in both nuclear and non-nuclear systems, measuring important thermophysical properties of specific salt mixtures becomes critical in understanding salt performance and behavior. One of the more basic and significant thermophysical properties of a given salt system is density as a function of temperature. With this in mind, this work aims to present and layout a novel approach to measuring densities of molten salt systems using neutron radiography. This work was performed on Flight Path 5 at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center at Los Alamos National Laboratory. In order to benchmark this initial work, three salt mixtures were measured, NaCl, LiCl (58.2 mol%) + KCl (41.8 mol%), and MgCl2 (32 mol%) + KCl (68 mol%). Resulting densities as a function of temperature for each sample from this work were then compared to previous works employing traditional techniques. Results from this work match well with previous literature values for all salt mixtures measured, establishing that neutron radiography is a viable technique to measure density as a function of temperature in molten salt systems. Finally, advantages of using neutron radiography over other methods are discussed and future work in improving this technique is covered.

New Twists and Turns for Actinide Chemistry: Organometallic Infinite Coordination Polymers of Thorium Diazide.

Two organometallic 1D infinite coordination polymers and two organometallic monometallic complexes of thorium diazide have been synthesized and characterized. Steric control of these self-assembled arrays, which are dense in thorium and nitrogen, has also been demonstrated: infinite chains can be circumvented by using steric bulk either at the metallocene or with a donor ligand in the wedge.

Thorium-mediated ring-opening of tetrahydrofuran and the development of a new thorium starting material: preparation and chemistry of ThI4(DME)2.

The thorium(IV) tetraiodide complex ThI(4)(DME)(2) (3) (DME = 1,2-dimethoxyethane) has been prepared in high yield by reacting the corresponding chloride complex ThCl(4)(DME)(2) with an excess of trimethylsilyl iodide (Me(3)SiI) in toluene. This new route avoids the use of thorium metal as a reagent. ThI(4)(DME)(2) (3) exhibits excellent thermal stability compared to ThI(4)(THF)(4) (1), which undergoes rapid ring-opening of THF at ambient temperature to yield the iodobutoxide complex ThI(3)[O(CH(2))(4)I](THF)(3) (2). Subsequent ligand-exchange between 2 and DME affords ThI(3)[O(CH(2))(4)I](DME)(2) (11), which can be converted to 3 with Me(3)SiI. Salt metathesis between 2 and K(L(Me)) (L(Me) = (2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3))NC(Me)CHC(Me)N(2,6-(i)Pr(2)C(6)H(3))) cleanly gives (L(Me))ThI(2)[O(CH(2))(4)I](THF) (10), which is a rare example of a thorium ß-diketiminate complex. Complexes 2, 10, and 11 represent the first reported examples of THF ring-opening mediated by thorium. The synthetic utility of ThI(4)(DME)(2) (3) is demonstrated by preparation of thorium(IV) alkoxide, amide, and organometallic compounds.

Molecular quadrangle formation from a diuranium µ-η6,η6-toluene complex.

A new inverted sandwich of a µ-η(6),η(6)-toluene diuranium complex reacted with quinoxaline to form a tetranuclear macrocycle with ferrocene diamide uranium(IV) vertices and reduced quinoxaline edges.

Synthesis and characterization of three-coordinate Ni(III)-imide complexes.

A new family of low-coordinate nickel imides supported by 1,2-bis(di-tert-butylphosphino)ethane was synthesized. Oxidation of nickel(II) complexes led to the formation of both aryl- and alkyl-substituted nickel(III)-imides, and examples of both types have been isolated and fully characterized. The aryl substituent that proved most useful in stabilizing the Ni(III)-imide moiety was the bulky 2,6-dimesitylphenyl. The two Ni(III)-imide compounds showed different variable-temperature magnetic properties but analogous EPR spectra at low temperatures. To account for this discrepancy, a low-spin/high-spin equilibrium was proposed to take place for the alkyl-substituted Ni(III)-imide complex. This proposal was supported by DFT calculations. DFT calculations also indicated that the unpaired electron is mostly localized on the imide nitrogen for the Ni(III) complexes. The results of reactions carried out in the presence of hydrogen donors supported the findings from DFT calculations that the adamantyl substituent was a significantly more reactive hydrogen-atom abstractor. Interestingly, the steric properties of the 2,6-dimesitylphenyl substituent are important not only in protecting the Ni═N core but also in favoring one rotamer of the resulting Ni(III)-imide, by locking the phenyl ring in a perpendicular orientation with respect to the NiPP plane.

Reactions of aromatic heterocycles with uranium alkyl complexes.

The reactivity of a uranium dibenzyl complex supported by a ferrocenediamide ligand toward aromatic N-heterocycles was investigated. The uranium dibenzyl complex reacted with 1 equiv of pyridine or picoline to give the respective ortho-metalated product. In turn, the eta(2)-N,C-pyridyl complexes reacted with benzoxazole or benzothiazole, leading to a cascade of transformations that involves C-C coupling of the two heterocyclic rings, ring opening, and alkyl transfer. A similar cascade was previously reported for 1-methylimidazole. The present results provide support for the mechanism proposed earlier and attest to the generality of the reaction cascade described.

Reversible C-C coupling in a uranium biheterocyclic complex.

The C-C coupling of two molecules of 1-methylbenzimidazole was effected by a neutral uranium dibenzyl complex supported by a ferrocene 1,1'-diamide ligand. The transformation involves the C-H activation of two heterocycles and the coupling of one eta(2)-N,C-imidazolyl fragment with a coordinated 1-methylbenzimidazole ligand. The solid-state structure of this product was studied by both single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction methods and confirms the formation of the biheterocyclic moiety. In solution, the C-C coupling event was found to be reversible, as assessed by variable-temperature (1)H and (2)H NMR spectroscopy as well as DFT calculations and reactivity studies.

Redox processes in a uranium bis(1,1'-diamidoferrocene) complex.

Oxidation of a uranium(IV) bis(1,1'-diamidoferrocene) gives a compound which is best described as a mixed-valence bisferrocene complex in which uranium mediates the electronic communication.