Issue 12, 2019

Facile N-functionalization and strong magnetic communication in a diuranium(v) bis-nitride complex

Abstract

Uranium nitride complexes are of high interest because of their ability to effect dinitrogen reduction and functionalization and to promote magnetic communication, but studies of their properties and reactivity remain rare. Here we have prepared in 73% yield the diuranium(V) bis-nitride complex [K2{[U(OSi(OtBu)3)3]2(μ-N)2}], 4, from the thermal decomposition of the nitride-, azide-bridged diuranium(IV) complex [K2{[U(OSi(OtBu)3)3]2(μ-N)(μ-N3)}], 3. The bis-nitride 4 reacts in ambient conditions with 1 equiv. of CS2 and 1 equiv. of CO2 resulting in N–C bond formation to afford the diuranium(V) complexes [K2{[U(OSi(OtBu)3)3]2(μ-N)(μ-S)(μ-NCS)}], 5 and [K2{[U(OSi(OtBu)3)3]2(μ-N)(μ-O)(μ-NCO)}], 6, respectively. Both nitrides in 4 react with CO resulting in oxidative addition of CO to one nitride and CO cleavage by the second nitride to afford the diuranium(IV) complex [K2{[U(OSi(OtBu)3)3]2(μ-CN)(μ-O)(μ-NCO)}], 7. Complex 4 also effects the remarkable oxidative cleavage of H2 in mild conditions to afford the bis-imido bridged diuranium(IV) complex [K2{[U(OSi(OtBu)3)3]2(μ-NH)2}], 8 that can be further protonated to afford ammonia in 73% yield. Complex 8 provides a good model for hydrogen cleavage by metal nitrides in the Haber–Bosch process. The measured magnetic data show an unusually strong antiferromagnetic coupling between uranium(V) ions in the complexes 4 and 6 with Neel temperatures of 77 K and 60 K respectively, demonstrating that nitrides are attractives linkers for promoting magnetic communication in uranium complexes.

Graphical abstract: Facile N-functionalization and strong magnetic communication in a diuranium(v) bis-nitride complex

Associated articles

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
21 Dec 2018
Accepted
08 Feb 2019
First published
18 Feb 2019
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2019,10, 3543-3555

Facile N-functionalization and strong magnetic communication in a diuranium(V) bis-nitride complex

L. Barluzzi, L. Chatelain, F. Fadaei-Tirani, I. Zivkovic and M. Mazzanti, Chem. Sci., 2019, 10, 3543 DOI: 10.1039/C8SC05721D

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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