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Title: From Thorium to Plutonium: Trends in Actinide(IV) Chloride Structural Chemistry

Journal Article · · Inorganic Chemistry

A series of eighteen actinide (IV) compounds were synthesized from acidic aqueous media containing thorium, uranium, or plutonium. The metal cation adopts a variety of different structural units with the general formula [An(H2O)xCly]4-y (x=4-7, y=2-4) or AnCl62- charge balanced by protonated nitrogen-containing heterocycles. Compound identities were classified by single crystal X-ray diffraction and subsequently characterized by Raman, IR, and optical absorption spectroscopies. Discrepancies across the early actinides were observed in this family of An(IV)-chlorides, with Th adopting exclusively Th-aquo-chloro species, Pu forming only PuCl62-, and U residing somewhere in between, crystallizing both as U-aquo-chloro and UCl62- monomeric units. Reports of An-H2O-Cl species are largely absent from tetravalent An solid state discussions despite their identification in chloride solutions. Here, the isolation of unique An(IV)-chlorides may be attributed to nonbonding interactions provided by outer coordination sphere counter-ions that could play a role in stabilizing these structural units. Differences in the structural chemistry of Th, U, and Pu also demonstrate a break in the series despite their common oxidation state and nearly identical synthetic procedures.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1572959
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA--143237
Journal Information:
Inorganic Chemistry, Journal Name: Inorganic Chemistry Journal Issue: 16 Vol. 58; ISSN 0020-1669
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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