Use of Alkylsodium Reagents for the Synthesis of Trivalent Uranium Alkyl Complexes

Abstract

A family of rare uranium(III) alkyl complexes, Tp*2UR (R = CH2SiMe3 (3-CH2SiMe3), CH3 (4-CH3), (CH2)3CH3 (5-(CH2)3CH3); Tp* = hydrotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)borate), was synthesized by salt metathesis with alkylsodium reagents and Tp*2UI (2). All compounds were fully characterized using 1H NMR, infrared, and electronic absorption spectroscopies. Compounds 3-CH2SiMe3 and 4-CH3 were structurally characterized using X-ray crystallography and have U–C bond distances of 2.601(9) and 2.54(3) Å, respectively.