Uranium and thorium complexes of the phosphaethynolate ion†
Abstract
New tris-amidinate actinide (Th, U) complexes containing a rare O-bound terminal phosphaethynolate (OCP−) ligand were synthesized and fully characterized. The cyanate (OCN−) and thiocyanate (SCN−) analogs were prepared for comparison and feature a preferential N-coordination to the actinide metals. The Th(amid)3(OCP) complex reacts with Ni(COD)2 to yield the heterobimetallic adduct (amid)3Th(μ-η1(O):η2(C,P)-OCP)Ni(COD) featuring an unprecedented reduced (OCP−) bent fragment bridging the two metals.