Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.37, No.16, 4040-4045, 1998
Halide effects in the synthesis of mixed uranium(IV) aryloxide-halide compounds
Several uranium(IV) aryloxide and mixed aryloxide-halide compounds of the formula UX4-z(OAr)(z) (X = Cl, Br, I; OAr = 2,6-di-tert-butylphenoxide; z = 2, 3, 4) have been prepared by the reaction of KOAr with the appropriate uranium tetrahalide in tetrahydrofuran (THF). The complex UI4(CH3CN)(4) reacts with 2 equiv of KOAr in THF to yield the compound I2U(OAr)(2) (1). The utility of this reaction is Limited by the instability of UI4(CH3CN)(4) in THF, however, and isolated yields of the THF adduct of 1 do not exceed 50%, In contrast, UBr4(CH3CN)(4) is stable in THF solution and reacts with 2 equiv of KOAr to yield the dibromide, Br2U(OAr)(2)(THF) (4 . THF), in 77% yield. Under identical reaction conditions, UCl4 reacts to yield the complex [K(THF)(4)][UCl3(OAr)(2)] (5) in 68% yield. The uranium center in compound 5 is coordinated by two trans aryloxide ligands and three chloride ligands in a trigonal bipyramidal arrangement. Two chloride ligands of each unit are also coordinated to a potassium ion, forming an infinite chain in the lattice. Compounds 1 and 5 will further react with 1 equiv of KOAr to yield the compounds XU(OAr)(3) (2, X = I; 6, X = Cl). Both UI4(CH3CN)(4) and UCl4 will react with a 4.2 equiv of KOAr to yield the previously characterized compound U(OAr)(4) (3). The stability of the mixed aryloxide-halide uranium complexes toward ligand redistribution reactions has been investigated.
Keywords:RAY CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE;VALENT ORGANOURANIUM COMPLEXES;ORGANO-METALLIC COMPOUNDS;LEWIS BASE ADDUCTS;ORGANOMETALLIC CHEMISTRY;ALKOXIDE CHEMISTRY;FUNCTIONAL-GROUPS;THORIUM;TETRAHYDROFURAN;PRECURSORS