The redox chemistry of uranium is dominated by the uranyl dication [UO22+], a highly water-soluble species that persists under aerobic conditions and thus contributes to environmental contamination. Reduction of UO22+ results in generation of less mobile species, however, making understanding and control of uranyl redox chemistry an important goal. In this talk, we will describe our recent work aimed at understanding how multimetallic effects can be used to modulate the redox chemistry of the uranyl ion. In our work, we have developed a heteroditopic ligand framework in order to understand how placement of two unique uranyl moieties in close proximity impacts their redox properties. Evidence for successful preparation of the homobimetallic complex was obtained with nuclear magnetic resonance experiments, and single crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed these findings. Our recent work will be discussed, including data from concerted electrochemical, spectrochemical, and spectro-electrochemical experiments that suggest notable effects do arise from placement of uranyl ions in close proximity.

Synthesis and redox behavior of a homobimetallic uranium complex

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