Crystallization of Uranyl Salts from Dialkylimidazolium Ionic Liquids or Their Precursors

Abstract

AbstractThe interaction of uranyl nitrate hexahydrate with three ionic liquids and one ionic liquid precursor with minimal solvent addition led to the isolation and crystallographic characterization of four new uranyl salts: bis(1,3‐dimethylimidazolium) bis‐μ‐hydroxo‐bis[bis(nitrato‐O,O)dioxouranate(VI)], bis(1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium) bis‐μ‐hydroxo‐bis[bis(nitrato‐O,O)dioxouranate(VI)], bis(1,2,3‐trimethylimidazolium) bis‐μ‐hydroxo‐bis[bis(nitrato‐O,O)dioxouranate(VI)], and bis(1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium) trichlorobis(nitrato‐O,O)dioxouranate(VI). Each ion in the four isolated salts has precedence in the crystallographic literature, although the exact combinations of ions we observe in these salts are new. Some interesting differences in the packing of the ions can be related to the lack of an acidic C2‐H ring hydrogen atom in the 1,2,3‐trimethylimidazolium cation. It is suggested that future studies of these reactions be carried out under more strictly anhydrous conditions.