Actinide Chemistry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our laboratory is interested in the molecular and electronic structure of actinide complexes to probe structure, bonding, and reactivity. This has applications in the nuclear fuel cycle for advanced separation techniques and non-proliferation, small molecule activation, and the advancement of these unique elements. A major focus is the coordination chemistry and reactivity of actinide complexes with soft donor ligands (S, Se, P, As) which have been shown to selectively separate actinides from lanthanides. Comparative studies between soft and hard donor ligands provide insight into why this selectivity occurs.

 

Project I. Structure, Bonding, and Reactivity of Actinide Complexes with Metal-Phosphorus Bonds

The chemistry of the actinides with heavier main group elements is underdeveloped compared to their 2p congeners. We have been examining the chemistry of thorium and uranium with phosphorus since we can extract useful bonding information from 31P NMR spectroscopy. In addition, phosphorus is a soft donor ligand whereas the actinides are hard Lewis acids. This mismatch allows for interesting small molecule activation with unsaturated substrates.

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Project II. Actinide-Carbenes

Metal-ligand multiple bonding is of interest in the actinides due to questions revolving around the role of the 5f and 6d orbitals in bonding. We have been looking at phosphorano-stabilized carbene ligands which show short actinide-carbon bonds as well as greater metal-ligand covalent properties. We seek to explore more actinide-carbene interactions, for which 13C NMR spectroscopy is quite useful.

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Project III. Neptunium Chemistry

We are one of the few laboratories in an academic setting that has access and facilities to examine Np-237. Our lab has started investigating the fundamental coordination chemistry and reactivity of low-valent, Np(III) and Np(IV), compounds.

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Transition Metal and Main Group Chemistry

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Project I. Multinuclear Copper Chemistry

Copper is an essential element in biological systems. Our group is interested in examining dinuclear copper(I) complexes with amidinate ligands to investigate their properties and reductive chemistry with small molecules.

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Project II. Ligand Synthesis

We seek to design new ligand systems to support our actinide projects. For example, ligands with anionic soft donor ligands to create new actinide-element bonds are being developed.

 

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