Uranium and thorium phosphorano-stabilized carbene complexes were synthesized in good yield via elimination of methane from reaction of [(C5Me5)2An(CH3)(X)] [An = Th, U; X = Cl, Br, I] with CH2=PPh3. These complexes can also be synthesized from phosphonium salts, [CH3PPh3]X, X = Cl, Br, I, with (C5Me5)2An(CH3)2. The compounds were characterized by single crystal x-ray crystallography which shows unusually short actinide-carbon bond distances. Electronic structure calculations show multiple bond character in the actinide-carbon bond, responsible for their short bond lengths. Kinetic experiments and DFT transition state calculations were also carried out to investigate the mechanism of the formation of the complex.

Formation of thorium and uranium – phosphorano - stabilized carbene

255th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.