Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Reactions of a uranium (IV) tertiary alkyl bond. Facile ligand-assisted reduction and insertion of ethylene and carbon monoxide

Journal Article · · Organometallics

Reaction of (MeC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 3}UX (X = Cl, MeC{sub 5}H{sub 4}) with t-BuLi affords the tertiary alkyl complex (MeC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 3}U(t-Bu). Despite uranium(IV) generally being the preferred oxidation state in organometallic systems, (MeC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 3}U(t-Bu) reacts with Lewis bases (L = PMe{sub 3}, THF, RCN, RNC) to yield the reduced uranium(III) base adducts (MeC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 3}U(L). Carbon monoxide undergoes migratory insertion into the metal tertiary alkyl bond. The resulting acyl derivative decomposes at 90{degree}C to yield insoluble uranium-containing products and a mixture of tert-butyltoluenes by ring expansion of a methylcyclopentadienyl ligand. Ethylene also undergoes migratory insertion into the metal tertiary alkyl bond. No subsequent insertion of ethylene into the metal carbon bond takes place after the first equivalent has inserted. In marked contrast, reaction of various (MeC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 3}ThX (X = Cl, I, MeC{sub 5}H{sub 4}, O-2,6-Me{sub 2}C{sub 6}H{sub 3}, OTs) compounds with t-BuLi gave intractable materials. However, reaction of the cationic species [(RC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 3}Th](BPh{sub 4}) (R = Me{sub 3}Si, t-Bu) with t-BuLi yields the new thorium hydrides (RC{sub 5}H{sub 4}){sub 3}ThH. 40 refs., 2 figs.

Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
102861
Journal Information:
Organometallics, Journal Name: Organometallics Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 14; ISSN ORGND7; ISSN 0276-7333
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Tris(Cyclopentadienyl)Uranium-t-Butyl: Synthesis, reactions, and mechanisms
Technical Report · Wed Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1993 · OSTI ID:6566863

Tris(Cyclopentadienyl)Uranium-t-Butyl: Synthesis, reactions, and mechanisms
Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1993 · OSTI ID:10159968

Paramagnetic alkyl, hydride, and alkene complexes of the Tp{sup t-Bu,Me}Co moiety
Journal Article · Sun Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 1999 · Organometallics · OSTI ID:329262