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A gas-phase uranyl peroxide dimer supported by three 12-crown-4 ether (12C4) ligands, [(UO 2 ) 2 (O 2 )(12C4) 3 )] 2+ ( A ), was prepared by electrospray ionization. Density functional theory (DFT) indicates a structure with two terminal 12C4 and the third 12C4 bridging the uranium centers. Collision induced dissociation (CID) of A resulted in elimination of the bridging 12C4 to yield a uranyl peroxide dimer with two terminal donor ligands, [(12C4)(UO 2 )(O 2 )(UO 2 )(12C4)] 2+ ( B ). Remarkably, CID of B resulted in elimination of the bridging peroxide concomitant with reduction of U(VI) to U(V) in C , [(12C4)(UO 2 )(UO 2 )(12C4)] 2+ . DFT studies indicate that in C there is direct interaction between the two UO 2 + species, which can thus be considered as a so-called cation-cation interaction (CCI). This formal CCI, induced by tetradentate 12C4 ligands, corresponds to destruction of the linear uranyl moieties and creation of bridging U-O-U oxo-bonds. On the basis of the structural rearrangement to achieve the structurally extreme CCI interaction, it is predicted also to be accessible for PaO 2 + but is less feasible for transuranic actinyls.

Recently, the carbon nanobelt (CNB) comprising a closed loop of fully fused edge-sharing benzene rings has been reported in an experiment. To explore its potential molecular properties and applications, we performed scalar relativistic density functional theory investigations on the interaction mechanisms of the CNB with a series of actinide atoms (An = Th-Am). Computations indicate that doping of actinide (An) atoms onto the surface of the CNB can result in the formation of stable actinide endohedral An@CNB compounds, along with the formation of C-An-C rings as well as a drastic structural transformation of the CNB. Compared to transuranium actinides, Th, Pa, and U exhibit a stronger adsorption affinity to the CNB in terms of the calculated binding energies. The adaptive natural density partitioning analysis shows that there form five 3c-2e bonds and two 5c-2e bonds in An@CNB for An = Th, Pa, and U, with fewer multicenter bonds for An = Np, Pu, and Am. These theoretical results provide a new strategy for chemical modification and functionalization of the CNB by actinide doping in the future.

Efficient anion recognition is of great significance for radioactive 99 TcO 4 - decontamination, but it remains a challenge for traditional sorbents. Herein, we put forward a tactic using soft crystalline cationic material with anion-adaptive dynamics for 99 TcO 4 - sequestration. A cucurbit[8]uril-based supramolecular metal-organic material is produced through a multi-component assembly strategy and used as a sorbent for effective trapping of TcO 4 - . Excellent separation of TcO 4 - /ReO 4 - is demonstrated by fast removal kinetics, good sorption capacity and high distribution coefficient. Remarkably, the most superior selectivity among metal-organic materials reported so far, together with good hydrolytic stability, indicates potential for efficient TcO 4 - removal. The structure incorporating ReO 4 - reveals that the supramolecular framework undergoes adaptive reconstruction facilitating the effective accommodation of TcO 4 - /ReO 4 - . The results highlight opportunities for development of soft anion-adaptive sorbents for highly selective anion decontamination.

Environmental contamination by 99 Tc(VII) from radioactive wastewater streams is of particular concern due to the long half-life of 99 Tc and high mobility of pertechnetate. Herein, we report a novel MXene-polyelectrolyte nanocomposite with three-dimensional networks for enhanced removal of perrhenate, which is pertechnetate simulant. The introduction of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) regulates the surface charge and improves the stability of Ti 2 CT x nanosheet, resulting in Re(VII) removal capacity of up to 363 mg g -1 , and fast sorption kinetics. The Ti 2 CT x /PDDA nanocomposite furthermore exhibits good selectivity for ReO 4 - when competing anions (such as Cl - and SO 4 2- ) coexist at a concentration of 1800 times. The immobilization mechanism was confirmed as a sorption-reduction process by batch sorption experiments and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The pH-dependent reducing activity of Ti 2 CT x /PDDA nanocomposite toward Re(VII) was clarified by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. As the pH increases, the local environment gradually changes from octahedral-coordinated Re(IV) to tetrahedral-coordinated Re(VII). The overall results suggest that Ti 2 CT x /PDDA nanocomposite may be a promising candidate for efficient elimination of Tc contamination. The reported surface modification strategy might result in applications of MXene-based materials in environmental remediation of other oxidized anion pollutants.

Gas-phase bimolecular reactions of metal cations with water provide insights into intrinsic characteristics of hydrolysis. For the actinide dioxide cations, actinyl(V) AnO 2 + , melding of experiment and computation provides insights into trends for hydrolysis, as well as for oxo-exchange between actinyls and water that proceeds by a hydrolysis pathway. Here this line of inquiry is further extended into the actinide series with CCSD(T) computations of potential energy surfaces, for the reaction pathway for oxo-exchange through hydrolysis of nine actinyl(V) ions, from PaO 2 + to EsO 2 + . The computed surfaces are in accord with previous experimental results for oxo-exchange, and furthermore predict spontaneous exchange for CmO 2 + , BkO 2 + , CfO 2 + and EsO 2 + , but not for AmO 2 + . Natural Bond Order analysis of the species involved in both hydrolysis and oxo-exchange reveals an inverse correlation between the barrier to hydrolysis and the charge on the actinide centre, q(An). Based on this correlation, it can be concluded that hydrolysis, and related phenomena such as oxo-exchange, become less favourable as the charge on the metal centre decreases. The new results provide a straightforward rationalization of trends across a wide swathe of the actinide series., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Selectivity for An(iii) vs. Ln(iii) binding and extraction using dipicolinamide analogs containing the C[double bond, length as m-dash]O vs. C[double bond, length as m-dash]S groups was investigated in solution and the gas-phase, and by DFT calculations. The results show higher selectivity for complex formation and extraction for Am(iii) vs. Eu(iii) for the softer dithioamide vs. the diamide ligand, while in CH3CN the diamide binds more strongly than the thioamide to several Ln(iii), forming 1 : 1 complexes.

Electrospray ionization was used to generate species such as [ZnNO 3 (CH 3 OH) 2 ] + from Zn(NO 3 ) 2 •XH 2 O dissolved in a mixture of CH 3 OH and H 2 O. Collision-induced dissociation of [ZnNO 3 (CH 3 OH) 2 ] + causes elimination of CH 3 OH to form [ZnNO 3 (CH 3 OH)] + . Subsequent collision-induced dissociation of [ZnNO 3 (CH 3 OH)] + causes elimination of 47 mass units (u), consistent with ejection of HNO 2 . The neutral loss shifts to 48 u for collision-induced dissociation of [ZnNO 3 (CD 3 OH)] + , demonstrating the ejection of HNO 2 involves intra-complex transfer of H from the methyl group methanol ligand. Subsequent collision-induced dissociation causes the elimination of 30 u (32 u for the complex with CD 3 OH), suggesting the elimination of formaldehyde (CH 2  = O). The product ion is [ZnOH] + . Collision-induced dissociation of a precursor complex created using CH 3 - 18 OH shows the isotope label is retained in CH 2  = O. Density functional theory calculations suggested that the "rearranged" product, ZnOH with bound HNO 2 and formaldehyde is significantly lower in energy than ZnNO 3 with bound methanol. We therefore used infrared multiple-photon photodissociation spectroscopy to determine the structures of both [ZnNO 3 (CH 3 OH) 2 ] + and [ZnNO 3 (CH 3 OH)] + . The infrared spectra clearly show that both ions contain intact nitrate and methanol ligands, which suggests that rearrangement occurs during collision-induced dissociation of [ZnNO 3 (CH 3 OH)] + . Based on the density functional theory calculations, we propose that transfer of H, from the methyl group of the CH 3 OH ligand to nitrate, occurs in concert with the formation of a Zn-C bond. After dissociation to release HNO 2 , the product rearranges with the insertion of the remaining O atom into the Zn-C bond. Subsequent C-O bond cleavage, with H transfer, produces an ion-molecule complex composed of [ZnOH] + and O = CH 2 .

Oxo group activation with reduction of neptunyl(vi) and plutonyl(vi) to tetravalent hydroxo species by the hydroxypyridinone siderophore derivative 3,4,3-LI-(1,2-HOPO) was investigated in the gas-phase via electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, in solution via Raman spectroscopy, and computationally via density functional theory. Dissociation of the gas-phase tetravalent complexes resulted in actinide-hydroxo bond cleavage.

We have investigated M-C bonds in lanthanide and actinide complexes ML2 (M = Ce, Th, U, Np and Pu; L = C(PPh2NMes)2) using scalar-relativistic theory. The M-C bonds possess typical σ and π bonding character, except for the nearly π-only Th-C bonds. The metal valence electrons significantly reside in the valence d and f orbitals for CeL2, UL2, NpL2 and PuL2, while for ThL2 most electron population is in 6d orbitals. The contribution of 6d orbitals to the An-C bonds decreases and that of 5f orbitals increases across the actinide series. QTAIM (quantum theory of atoms in molecules) and NBO (natural bond orbital) analyses confirm that the M-C bonds possess significant covalent character. This work provides insights into the contributions of d and f valence orbitals to M-C bonding. And inclusion of Np and Pu in this evaluation extends understanding to later actinides.

Although reduction of highly mobile U(VI) to less soluble U(IV) has been long considered an effective approach to in situ environmental remediation of uranium, candidate reducing agents are largely limited to Fe-based materials and microbials. The importance of titanium-containing compounds in natural uranium ore deposits suggests a role for titanium in uranium migration. Herein, for the first time, a two-dimensional transition metal carbide, Ti 2 CT x , is shown to efficiently remove uranium via a sorption-reduction strategy. Batch experiments demonstrate that TiC 2 T x exhibits excellent U(VI) removal over a wide pH range, with an uptake capacity of 470 mg g -1 at pH 3.0. The mechanism for U(VI) to U(IV) reduction by Ti 2 CT x was deciphered by X-ray absorption spectroscopy and diffraction and photoelectron spectroscopy. The reduced U(IV) species at low pH is identified as mononuclear with bidendate binding to the MXene substrate. At near-neutral pH, nanoparticles of the UO 2+ x phase adsorb to the substrate with some Ti 2 CT x transformed to amorphous TiO 2 . A subsequent in-depth study suggests Ti 2 CT x materials may be potential candidates for permeable reactive barriers in the treatment of wastewaters from uranium mining. This work highlights reduction-induced immobilization of U(VI) by Ti 2 CT x MXene including a pH-dependent reduction mechanism that might promote applications of titanium-based materials in the elimination of other oxidized contaminants.

Pentavalent actinyl nitrate complexes An V O 2 (NO 3 ) 2 - were produced by elimination of two NO 2 from An III (NO 3 ) 4 - for An = Pu, Am, Cm, Bk, and Cf. Density functional theory (B3LYP) and relativistic multireference (CASPT2) calculations confirmed the AnO 2 (NO 3 ) 2 - as An V O 2 + actinyl moieties coordinated by nitrates. Computations of alternative An III O 2 (NO 3 ) 2 - and An IV O 2 (NO 3 ) 2 - revealed significantly higher energies. Previous computations for bare AnO 2 + indicated An V O 2 + for An = Pu, Am, Cf, and Bk, but Cm III O 2 + : electron donation from nitrate ligands has here stabilized the first Cm V complex, Cm V O 2 (NO 3 ) 2 - . Structural parameters and bonding analyses indicate increasing An-NO 3 bond covalency from Pu to Cf, in accordance with principles for actinide separations. Atomic ionization energies effectively predict relative stabilities of oxidation states; more reliable energies are needed for the actinides.

The following gas-phase uranyl/12-crown-4 (12C4) complexes were synthesized by electrospray ionization: [UO 2 (12C4) 2 ] 2+ and [UO 2 (12C4) 2 (OH)] + . Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the dication resulted in [UO 2 (12C4-H)] + (12C4-H is a 12C4 that has lost one H), which spontaneously adds water to yield [UO 2 (12C4-H)(H 2 O)] + . The latter has the same composition as complex [UO 2 (12C4)(OH)] + produced by CID of [UO 2 (12C4) 2 (OH)] + but exhibits different reactivity with water. The postulated structures as isomeric [UO 2 (12C4-H)(H 2 O)] + and [UO 2 (12C4)(OH)] + were confirmed by comparison of infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) spectra with computed spectra. The structure of [UO 2 (12C4-H)] + corresponds to cleavage of a C-O bond in the 12C4 ring, with formation of a discrete U-O eq bond and equatorial coordination by three intact ether moieties. Comparison of IRMPD and computed IR spectra furthermore enabled assignment of the structures of the other complexes. Theoretical studies of the chemical bonding features of the complexes provide an understanding of their stabilities and reactivities. The results reveal bonding and structures of the uranyl/12C4 complexes and demonstrate the synthesis and identification of two different isomers of gas-phase uranyl coordination complexes.

The concept of oxidation state (OS) is based on the concept of Lewis electron pairs, in which the bonding electrons are assigned to the more electronegative element. This approach is useful for keeping track of the electrons, predicting chemical trends, and guiding syntheses. Experimental and quantum-chemical results reveal a limit near +8 for the highest OS in stable neutral chemical substances under ambient conditions. OS=+9 was observed for the isolated [IrO 4 ] + cation in vacuum. The prediction of OS=+10 for isolated [PtO 4 ] 2+ cations is confirmed computationally for low temperatures only, but hasn't yet been experimentally verified. For high OS species, oxidation of the ligands, for example, of O -2 with formation of . O -1 and O-O bonds, and partial reduction of the metal center may be favorable, possibly leading to non-Lewis type structures., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

In-cavity complexes and their bonding features between thio-crown (TC) ethers and f-elements are unexplored so far. In this paper, actinyl(VI) (An = U, Np, Pu, Am, and Cm) complexes of TC ethers have been characterized using relativistic density functional theory. The TC ether ligands include tetrathio-12-crown-4 (12TC4), pentathio-15-crown-5 (15TC5), and hexathio-18-crown-6 (18TC6). On the basis of the calculations, it is found that the "double-decker" sandwich structure of AnO 2 (12TC4) 2 2+ and "side-on" structure AnO 2 (12TC4) 2+ are changed to "insertion" structures for AnO 2 (15TC5) 2+ and AnO 2 (18TC6) 2+ due to increased size of the TC ether ligands. The actinyl monocyclic TC ether complexes are found to exhibit conventional conformations, with typical An-O actinyl and An-S ligand distances and angles. Chemical bonding analyses by Weinhold's natural population analysis (NPA), natural localized molecular orbital (NLMO), and energy decomposed analysis (EDA), show that a typical ionic An-S ligand bond with the extent of covalent interaction between the An and S atoms primarily attributable to the degree of radial distribution of the S 3p atomic orbitals. The similarity and difference of the oxo-crown and TC ethers as ligands for actinide coordination chemistry are discussed. As soft S-donor ligands, TC ethers may be candidate ligands for actinide recognition and extraction.

Since the discovery of the first all-boron fullerenes B 40 -/0 , metal-doped borospherenes have received extensive attention. So far, in spite of theoretical efforts on metalloborospherenes, the feasibility of actinide analogues remains minimally explored. Here we report a series of actinide borospherenes AnB n (An = U, Th; n = 36, 38, and 40) using DFT-PBE0 calculations. All the AnB n complexes are found to possess endohedral structures (An@B n ) as the global minima. In particular, U@B 36 (C 2h , 3 A g ) and Th@B 38 (D 2h , 1 A g ) exhibit nearly ideal endohedral borospherene structures. The C 2h U@B 36 and D 2h Th@B 38 complexes are predicted to be highly robust both thermodynamically and dynamically. In addition to the actinide size match to the cage, the covalent character of the metal-cage bonding in U@B 36 and Th@B 38 affords further stabilization. Bonding analysis indicates that U@B 36 and Th@B 38 can be qualified as 32-electron systems, and Th@B 38 exhibits 3D aromaticity with σ plus π double delocalization bonding. The results demonstrate that doping with appropriate actinide atoms is promising to stabilize diverse borospherenes, and may provide routes for borospherene modification and functionalization.

The stability constants (log β), enthalpies of complexation (ΔH), and entropies of complexation (ΔS) for the complexes of uranium(VI) with a series of amine-functionalized diaetamide ligands, 2,2'-benzylazanediylbis(N,N'-dimethylacetamide) (BnABDMA), 2,2'-azanediylbis(N,N'-dimethylacetamide) (ABDMA), and 2,2'-methylazanediylbis(N,N'-dimethylacetamide) (MABDMA), in aqueous solution were determined by potentiometry and calorimetry. Electronspray ionization mass spectrometry was used to verify the presence of uranium(VI) complexes in solution. The thermodynamic data indicate that the binding strengths of the three ligands with UO 2 2+ follow the order BnABDMA < ABDMA < MABDMA, parallel to the order of the protonation constants as well as the order of the stability of the Nd 3+ complexes, suggesting that the complexation of UO 2 2+ with the ligands consist predominantly of electrostatic interactions. Denisty functional theory calculations were conducted to reveal the structures, electronic charge distribution, and energetics of the uranium(VI) complexes, providing insight into the thermodynamic trends of the complexation. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy was used to identify the structures of the uranium(VI) complexes in aqueous solution.

The preliminary results described here show that the adsorbability of uranyl ions by a highly stable MOF UiO-66 can be drastically enhanced by tailoring the missing-linker defects in this MOF. The combination of defect-induced functionality improvement with the acid-resistant nature of UiO-66 substantiates the applicability of this material for actinide capture from acidic media.

Actinyl chemistry is extended beyond Cm to BkO 2 + and CfO 2 + through transfer of an O atom from NO 2 to BkO + or CfO + , establishing a surprisingly high lower limit of 73 kcal mol -1 for the dissociation energies, D[O-(BkO + )] and D[O-(CfO + )]. CCSD(T) computations are in accord with the observed reactions, and characterize the newly observed dioxide ions as linear pentavalent actinyls; these being the first Bk and Cf species with oxidation states above IV. Computations of actinide dioxide cations AnO 2 + for An=Pa to Lr reveal an unexpected minimum for D[O-(CmO + )]. For CmO 2 + , and AnO 2 + beyond EsO 2 + , the most stable structure has side-on bonded η 2 -(O 2 ), as An III peroxides for An=Cm and Lr, and as An II superoxides for An=Fm, Md, and No. It is predicted that the most stable structure of EsO 2 + is linear [O=Es V =O] + , einsteinyl, and that FmO 2 + and MdO 2 + , like CmO 2 + , also have actinyl(V) structures as local energy minima. The results expand actinide oxidation state chemistry, the realm of the distinctive actinyl moiety, and the non-periodic character towards the end of the periodic table., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The highest known actinide oxidation states are Np(VII) and Pu(VII), both of which have been identified in solution and solid compounds. Recently a molecular Np(VII) complex, NpO 3 (NO 3 ) 2 - , was prepared and characterized in the gas phase. In accord with the lower stability of heptavalent Pu, no Pu(VII) molecular species has been identified. Reported here are the gas-phase syntheses and characterizations of NpO 4 - and PuO 4 - . Reactivity studies and density functional theory computations indicate the heptavalent metal oxidation state in both. This is the first instance of Pu(VII) in the absence of stabilizing effects due to condensed phase solvation or crystal fields. The results indicate that addition of an electron to neutral PuO 4 , which has a computed electron affinity of 2.56 eV, counterintuitively results in oxidation of Pu(V) to Pu(VII), concomitant with superoxide reduction.

Though two-dimensional early transition metal carbides and carbonitrides (MXenes) have attracted extensive interest recently, their superb abilities in various scientific applications always suffer from the very narrow interlayer space inside the multilayered structure. Here we demonstrate an unprecedented large adsorption capacity enhancement of Ti 3 C 2 T x toward radionuclide removal via a hydrated intercalation strategy. By rational control of the interlayer space, the potential for imprisoning the representative actinide U(vi) inside multilayered Ti 3 C 2 T x was also confirmed.

Recent efforts to activate the strong uranium-oxygen bonds in the dioxo uranyl cation have been limited to single oxo-group activation through either uranyl reduction and functionalization in solution, or by collision induced dissociation (CID) in the gas-phase, using mass spectrometry (MS). Here, we report and investigate the surprising double activation of uranyl by an organic ligand, 3,4,3-LI(CAM), leading to the formation of a formal U 6+ chelate in the gas-phase. The cleavage of both uranyl oxo bonds was experimentally evidenced by CID, using deuterium and 18 O isotopic substitutions, and by infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy. Density functional theory (DFT) computations predict that the overall reaction requires only 132 kJ/mol, with the first oxygen activation entailing about 107 kJ/mol. Combined with analysis of similar, but unreactive ligands, these results shed light on the chelation-driven mechanism of uranyl oxo bond cleavage, demonstrating its dependence on the presence of ligand hydroxyl protons available for direct interactions with the uranyl oxygens.

For further fundamental understanding of the nature and extent of covalency in actinyl-ligand bonding, and the benefits that this may have in the design of new ligands for nuclear waste separation, there is burgeoning interest in the nature of actinyl complexes with polydentate or multiple-point-donor ligands, such as crown ethers. There are few cases of structurally authenticated molecular actinyl-crown bonds under ambient conditions. We report here the computational characterization of AnO 2 2+ -(15-crown-5) complexes, where An = U, Np, Pu, Am, and Cm, and 15-crown-5 is the cyclic polyether ligand with five ether oxygen atoms. In the gas-phase complex, the actinyl group is located inside of the crown ether, tilted slightly out of the plane of the five equatorial oxygen atoms that coordinate the actinide metal center. The actinyl-cyclic ether complexes are found to exhibit a conventional conformation, with typical An-O axial and An-O equatorial distances and angles. A striking result is the enhanced stability of the insertion complex for UO 2 2+ versus NpO 2 2+ , PuO 2 2+ , AmO 2 2+ and CmO 2 2+ , which is evaluated in the context of An-O binding strengths (esp. bonding covalency), and may have ramifications for the utility of actinyl-crown complexes in separation applications.

The reaction of uranyl nitrate with terephthalic acid (H 2 TP) under hydrothermal conditions in the presence of an organic base, 1,3-(4,4'-bispyridyl)propane (BPP) or 4,4'-bipyridine (BPY), provided four uranyl terephthalate compounds with different entangled structures by a pH-tuning method. [UO 2 (TP) 1.5 ](H 2 BPP) 0.5 ·2H 2 O (1) obtained in a relatively acidic solution (final aqueous pH, 4.28) crystallizes in the form of a noninterpenetrated honeycomb-like two-dimensional network structure. An elevation of the solution pH (final pH, 5.21) promotes the formation of a dimeric uranyl-mediated polycatenated framework, [(UO 2 ) 2 (μ-OH) 2 (TP) 2 ] 2 (H 2 BPP) 2 ·4.5H 2 O (2). Another new polycatenated framework with a monomeric uranyl unit, [(UO 2 ) 2 (TP) 3 ](H 2 BPP) (3), begins to emerge as a minor accompanying product of 2 when the pH is increased up to 6.61, and turns out to be a significant product at pH 7.00. When more rigid but small-size BPY molecules replace BPP molecules, [UO 2 (TP) 1.5 ](H 2 BPP) 0.5 (4) with a polycatenated framework similar to 3 was obtained in a relatively acidic solution (final pH, 4.81). The successful preparation of 2-4 represents the first report of uranyl-organic polycatenated frameworks derived from a simple H 2 TP linker. A direct comparison between these polycatenated frameworks and previously reported uranyl terephthalate compounds suggests that the template and cavity-filling effects of organic bases (such as BPP or BPY), in combination with specific hydrothermal conditions, promote the formation of uranyl terephthalate polycatenated frameworks.

Actinide disulphide dications, AnS 2 2+ , were produced in the gas phase for An = Th and Np by reaction of An 2+ cations with the sulfur-atom donor COS, in a sequential abstraction process of two sulfur atoms, as examined by FTICR mass spectrometry. For An = Pu and Am, An 2+ ions were unreactive with COS and did not yield any sulphide species. High level multiconfigurational (CASPT2) calculations were performed to assess the structures and bonding of the new AnS 2 2+ species obtained for An = Th, Np, as well as for An = Pu to examine trends along the An series, and for An = U to compare with a previous experimental study and DFT computational scrutiny of US 2 2+ . The CASPT2 results showed that, like in the case of uranium, the new AnS 2 2+ ions have ground states with triangular geometries, corresponding to the presence of a persulphide in the case of thorium that formally leads to a stable Th IV S 2 2+ species, while a supersulphide appears to be present in the case of U, Np and Pu, formally leading to a An III S 2 2+ species. The computations also revealed that linear thioactinyl structures are higher in energy, with a difference that increases fourfold upon moving from U to Pu, apparently indicating that it will be even more pronounced for Am.

The gas-phase uranyl peroxide dimer, [(UO 2 ) 2 (O 2 )(L) 2 ] 2+ where L = 2,2'-trifluoroethylazanediyl)bis(N,N'-dimethylacetamide), was synthesized by electrospray ionization of a solution of UO 2 2+ and L. Collision-induced dissociation of this dimer resulted in endothermic O atom elimination to give [(UO 2 ) 2 (O)(L) 2 ] 2+ , which was found to spontaneously react with water via exothermic hydrolytic chemisorption to yield [(UO 2 ) 2 (OH) 2 (L) 2 ] 2+ . Density functional theory computations of the energies for the gas-phase reactions are in accord with observations. The structures of the observed uranyl dimer were computed, with that of the peroxide of particular interest, as a basis to evaluate the formation of condensed phase uranyl peroxides with bent structures. The computed dihedral angle in [(UO 2 ) 2 (O 2 )(L) 2 ] 2+ is 145°, indicating a substantial deviation from the planar structure with a dihedral angle of 180°. Energies needed to induce bending in the most elementary gas-phase uranyl peroxide complex, [(UO 2 ) 2 (O 2 )] 2+ , were computed. It was found that bending from the lowest-energy planar structure to dihedral angles up to 140° required energies of <10 kJ/mol. The gas-phase results demonstrate the inherent stability of the uranyl peroxide moiety and support the notion that the uranyl-peroxide-uranyl structural unit is intrinsically planar, with only minor energy perturbations needed to form the bent structures found in studtite and uranyl peroxide nanostructures.

The synthesis, reactivity, structures, and bonding in gas-phase binary and complex oxide anion molecules of protactinium and uranium have been studied by experiment and theory. The oxalate ions, An V O 2 (C 2 O 4 ) - , where An = Pa or U, are essentially actinyl ions, An V O 2 + , coordinated by an oxalate dianion. Both react with water to yield the pentavalent hydroxides, An V O(OH) 2 (C 2 O 4 ) - . The chemistry of Pa and U becomes divergent for reactions that result in oxidation: whereas Pa VI is inaccessible, U VI is very stable. The U V O 2 (C 2 O 4 ) - complex exhibits a remarkable spontaneous exothermic replacement of the oxalate ligand by O 2 to yield UO 4 - and two CO 2 molecules. The structure of the uranium tetroxide anion is computed to correspond to distorted uranyl, U VI O 2 2+ , coordinated in the equatorial plane by two equivalent O atoms each having formal charges of -1.5 and U-O bond orders intermediate between single and double. The unreactive nature of Pa V O 2 (C 2 O 4 ) - toward O 2 is a manifestation of the resistance toward oxidation of Pa V , and clearly reveals the disparate chemistries of Pa and U. The uranium tetroxide anion, UO 4 - , reacts with water to yield UO 5 H 2 - . Infrared spectra obtained for UO 5 H 2 - confirm the computed lowest-energy structure, UO 3 (OH) 2 - .

Understanding of the nature and extent of chemical bonding in uranyl coordination complexes is crucial for the design of new ligands for nuclear waste separation, uranium extraction from seawater, and other applications. We report here the synthesis, infrared spectroscopic characterization, and quantum chemical studies of a molecular uranyl-di-15-crown-5 complex. The structure and bonding of this unique complex featuring a distinctive 6-fold coplanar coordination staggered sandwich structure and an unusual non-perpendicular orientation of the uranyl moiety are evaluated using density functional theory and chemical bonding analyses. The results provide fundamental understanding of the coordination interaction of uranyl with oxygen-donor ligands.

A central goal of chemistry is to achieve ultimate oxidation states, including in gas-phase complexes with no condensed phase perturbations. In the case of the actinide elements, the highest established oxidation states are labile Pu(VII) and somewhat more stable Np(VII). We have synthesized and characterized gas-phase AnO 3 (NO 3 ) 2 - complexes for An = U, Np, and Pu by endothermic NO 2 elimination from AnO 2 (NO 3 ) 3 - . It was previously demonstrated that the PuO 3 + core of PuO 3 (NO 3 ) 2 - has a Pu-O • radical bond such that the oxidation state is Pu(VI); it follows that in UO 3 (NO 3 ) 2 - it is the stable U(VI) oxidation state. On the basis of the relatively more facile synthesis of NpO 3 (NO 3 ) 2 - , a Np(VII) oxidation state is inferred. This interpretation is substantiated by reactivity of the three complexes: NO 2 spontaneously adds to UO 3 (NO 3 ) 2 - and PuO 3 (NO 3 ) 2 - but not to NpO 3 (NO 3 ) 2 - . This unreactive character is attributed to a Np(VII)O 3 + core with three stable Np═O bonds, this in contrast to reactive U-O • and Pu-O • radical bonds. The computed structures and reaction energies for the three AnO 3 (NO 3 ) 2 - support the conclusion that the oxidation states are U(VI), Np(VII), and Pu(VI). The results establish the extreme Np(VII) oxidation state in a gas-phase complex, and demonstrate the inherently greater stability of Np(VII) versus Pu(VII).

Hydrolysis of Th(iv) was studied in tetraethylammonium perchlorate (0.10 mol kg(-1)) at variable temperatures (283-358 K) by potentiometry and microcalorimetry. Three hydrolysis reactions, mTh(4+) + nH2O = Thm(OH)n((4m-n)+) + nH(+), in which (n,m) = (2,2), (8,4), and (15,6), were invoked to describe the potentiometric and calorimetric data for solutions with the [hydroxide]/[Th(iv)] ratio ≤ 2. At higher ratios, the formation of (16,5) cannot be excluded. The hydrolysis constants, *β2,2, *β8,4, and *β15,6, increased by 3, 7, and 11 orders of magnitude, respectively, as the temperature was increased from 283 to 358 K. The enhancement is mainly due to the significant increase of the degree of ionization of water as the temperature rises. All three hydrolysis reactions are endothermic at 298 K, with enthalpies of (118 ± 4) kJ mol(-1), (236 ± 7) kJ mol(-1), and (554 ± 4) kJ mol(-1) for ΔH2,2, ΔH8,4, and ΔH15,6 respectively. The hydrolysis constants at infinite dilution have been obtained with the specific ion interaction approach. The applicability of three approaches for estimating the equilibrium constants at different temperatures, including the constant enthalpy approach, the constant heat capacity approach and the DQUANT equation was evaluated with the data from this work.

The divalent oxidation state is increasingly stable relative to the trivalent state for the later actinide elements, with californium the first actinide to exhibit divalent chemistry under moderate conditions. Although there is evidence for divalent Cf in solution and solid compounds, there are no reports of discrete complexes in which Cf(II) is coordinated by anionic ligands. Described here is the divalent Cf methanesulfinate coordination complex, Cf(II)(CH3SO2)3(-), prepared in the gas phase by reductive elimination of CH3SO2 from Cf(III)(CH3SO2)4(-). Comparison with synthesis of the corresponding Sm and Cm complexes reveals reduction of Cf(III) and Sm(III), and no evidence for reduction of Cm(III). This reflects the comparative 3+/2+ reduction potentials: Cf(3+) (-1.60 V) ≈ Sm(3+) (-1.55 V) ≫ Cm(3+) (-3.7 V). Association of O2 to the divalent complexes is attributed to formation of superoxides, with recovery of the trivalent oxidation state. The new gas-phase chemistry of californium, now the heaviest element to have been studied in this manner, provides evidence for Cf(II) coordination complexes and similar chemistry of Cf and Sm.

A series of amine functionalized ligands, including 2,2'-(benzylazanediyl)bis(N,N'-dimethylacetamide) (BnABDMA), 2,2'-azanediylbis(N,N'-dimethylacetamide) (ABDMA), and 2,2'-(methylazanediyl)bis(N,N'-dimethylacetamide) (MABDMA), are synthesized for the thermodynamic study of their complexation with Nd(3+) ions. Their complexation in solution is investigated using potentiometry, spectrophotometry, calorimetry, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The results suggest that these ligands act as tridentate ligands. Furthermore, direct comparison between ABDMA and an analogous ether-functionalized ligand, 2,2'-oxybis(N,N'-dimethylacetamide) (TMDGA), showed that the amine functionalized ligand forms thermodynamically stronger complexes with Nd(3+) ions than the ether-functionalized ligand. In addition, the amine functionalized ligand can allow the fine-tuning of the binding strength with metal ions via substitution on the central amine N atom with different functional groups, which is not possible for ether functionalized ligands such as TMDGA.

Activation of CO2 is demonstrated by its spontaneous dissociative reaction with the gas-phase anion complex NUOCl2(-), which can be considered as NUO(+) coordinated by two chloride anion ligands. This reaction was previously predicted by density functional theory to occur exothermically, without barriers above the reactant energy. The present results demonstrate the validity of the prediction of microscopic reversibility, and provide a rare case of spontaneous dissociative addition of CO2 to a gas-phase complex. The activation of CO2 by NUOCl2(-) proceeds by conversion of a U[triple bond, length as m-dash]N bond to a U[double bond, length as m-dash]O bond and creation of an isocyanate ligand to yield the complex UO2(NCO)Cl2(-), in which uranyl, UO2(2+), is coordinated by one isocyanate and two chloride anion ligands. This activation of CO2 by a uranium(vi) nitride complex is distinctive from previous reports of oxidative insertion of CO2 into lower oxidation state U(iii) or U(iv) solid complexes, during which both C-O bonds remain intact. This unusual observation of spontaneous addition and activation of CO2 by NUOCl2(-) is a result of the high oxophilicity of uranium. If the computed Gibbs free energy of the reaction pathway, rather than the energy, is considered, there are barriers above the reactant asymptotes such that the observed reaction should not proceed under thermal conditions. This result provides a demonstration that energy rather than Gibbs free energy determines reactivity under low-pressure bimolecular conditions.

Recently, the +2 formal oxidation state in soluble molecular complexes for lanthanides (La-Nd, Sm-Lu) and actinides (Th and U) has been discovered [W. J. Evans, et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2011, 133, 15914; J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2012, 134, 8420; J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2013, 135, 13310; Chem. Sci., 2015, 6, 517]. To explore the nature of the bonding and stabilities of the low-valent actinide complexes, a series of divalent actinide species, [AnCp'3](-) (An[double bond, length as m-dash]Th-Am, Cp' = [η(5)-C5H4(SiMe3)](-)) have been investigated in THF solution using scalar relativistic density functional theory. The electronic structures and electron affinity properties were systematically studied to identify the interactions between the +2 actinide ions and Cp' ligands. The ground state electron configurations for the [AnCp'3](-) species are [ThCp'3](-) 6d(2), [PaCp'3](-) 5f(2)6d(1), [UCp'3](-) 5f(3)6d(1), [NpCp'3](-) 5f(5), [PuCp'3](-) 5f(6), and [AmCp'3](-) 5f(7), respectively, according to the MO analysis. The total bonding energy decreases from the Th- to the Am-complex and the electrostatic interactions mainly dominate the bonding between the actinide atom and ligands. The electron affinity analysis suggests that the reduction reaction of AnCp'3→ [AnCp'3](-) should become increasingly facile across the actinide series from Th to Am, in accord with the known An(iii/ii) reduction potentials. This work expands the knowledge on the low oxidation state chemistry of actinides, and further motivates and guides the synthesis of related low oxidation state compounds of 5f elements.

The potential energy surfaces for the reactions of H2O with ThO2, PaO2(+), UO2(2+), and UO2(+) have been calculated at the coupled cluster CCSD(T) level extrapolated to the complete basis set limit with additional corrections including scalar relativistic and spin-orbit. The reactions proceed by the formation of an initial Lewis acid-base adduct (H2O)AnO2(0/+/2+) followed by a proton transfer to generate the dihydroxide AnO(OH)2(0/+/2+). The results are in excellent agreement with mass spectrometry experiments and prior calculations of hydrolysis reactions of the group 4 transition metal dioxides MO2. The differences in the energies of the stationary points on the potential energy surface are explained in terms of the charges on the system and the populations on the metal center. The use of an improved starting point for the coupled cluster CCSD(T) calculations based on density functional theory with the PW91 exchange-correlation functional or Brueckner orbitals is described. The importance of including second-order spin-orbit corrections for closed-shell molecules is also described. These improvements in the calculations are correlated with the 5f populations on the actinide.

Synthesis of complexes with direct actinide-actinide (An-An) bonding is an experimental 'holy grail' in actinide chemistry. In this work, a series of actinide dimetallocenes An2Cp (Cp(*) = C5(CH3)5, An = Th-Pu) with An-An multiple bonds have been systematically investigated using quantum chemical calculations. The coaxial Cp(*)-An-An-Cp(*) structures are found to be the most stable species for all the dimetallocenes. A Th-Th triple bond is predicted in the Th2Cp complex, and the calculated An-An bond orders decrease across the actinide series from Pa to Pu. The covalent character of the An-An bonds is analyzed by using natural bond orbitals (NBO), molecular orbitals (MO), the quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), and electron density difference (EDD). While Th 6d orbitals dominate the Th-Th bonds in Th2Cp, the An 6d-orbital characters decrease and 5f-orbital characters increase for complexes from Pa2Cp to Pu2Cp. All these actinide dimetallocenes are stable in the gas phase relative to the AnCp(*) reference at room temperature. Based on the reactions of AnCp and An, Th2Cp, Pa2Cp and possibly also U2Cp should be accessible as isolated molecules under suitable synthetic conditions. Our results shed light on the molecular design of ligands for stabilizing actinide-actinide multiple bonds.

The gas-phase complexes AnO2(CH3CO2)2(-) are actinyl(V) cores, An(V)O2(+) (An = U, Np, Pu), coordinated by two acetate anion ligands. Whereas the addition of O2 to U(V)O2(CH3CO2)2(-) exothermically produces the superoxide complex U(VI)O2(O2)(CH3CO2)2(-), this oxidation does not occur for Np(V)O2(CH3CO2)2(-) or Pu(V)O2(CH3CO2)2(-) because of the higher reduction potentials for Np(V) and Pu(V). It is demonstrated that NO2 is a more effective electron-withdrawing oxidant than O2, with the result that all three An(V)O2(CH3CO2)2(-) exothermically react with NO2 to form nitrite complexes, An(VI)O2(CH3CO2)2(NO2)(-). The assignment of the NO2(-) anion ligand in these complexes, resulting in oxidation from An(V) to An(VI), is substantiated by the replacement of the acetate ligands in AnO2(CH3CO2)2(NO2)(-) and AnO2(CH3CO2)3(-) by nitrites, to produce the tris(nitrite) complexes AnO2(NO2)3(-). The key chemistry of oxidation of An(V) to An(VI) by the addition of neutral NO2 is established by the substitution of acetate by nitrite. The replacement of acetate ligands by NO2(-) is attributed to a metathesis reaction with nitrous acid to produce acetic acid and nitrite.

The syntheses of cationic nickel complexes using N,N'-dimethyl piperazine 2,3-dithione (Me2Dt(0)) and N,N'-diisopropyl piperazine 2,3-dithione ((i)Pr2Dt(0)) ligands are reported. These ligands were used in synthesizing bis and tris(dithione)Ni(II) complexes as tetrafluoroborate or hexafluorophosphate salts, i.e., [Ni((i)Pr2Dt(0))2][BF4]2 ([1a][BF4]2), [Ni((i)Pr2Dt(0))2][PF6]2 ([1a][PF6]2), [Ni(Me2Dt(0))2][BF4]2 ([1b][BF4]2), [Ni((i)Pr2Dt(0))3][BF4]2 ([2a][BF4]2), and [Ni((i)Pr2Dt(0))3][PF6]2 ([2a][PF6]2), respectively. Complex [2a][PF6]2 was isolated from a methanolic solution of [1a][PF6]2. Compound [1a][BF4]2 crystallizes in a trigonal crystal system (space group, P31/c) and exhibits unique packing features, whereas [2a][BF4]2 crystallizes in a monoclinic (P21/n) space group. Cyclic voltammograms of [1a][BF4]2 and [1b][BF4]2 are indicative of four reduction processes associated with stepwise single-electron reduction of the ligands. Spectroelectrochemical experiments on [1a][BF4]2 exhibit an intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) transition as a spectroscopic signature of the mixed-valence [Ni((i)Pr2Dt(0))((i)Pr2Dt(1-))](-) species. Analysis of this IVCT band suggests that this ligand based mixed valence complex, [Ni((i)Pr2Dt(0))((i)Pr2Dt(1-))](-), behaves more like a traditional class II/III metal based mixed-valence complex. The density functional theory (DFT) and time dependent DFT calculations provide a theoretical framework for understanding the electronic structures and the nature of excited states of the target compounds that are consistent with their spectroscopic and redox properties. Vibrational spectra of [1a](2+) and [2a](2+) were investigated as discrete species in the gas phase using infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy.

It is demonstrated that the gas-phase oxo-exchange of PaO2(+) with water is substantially faster than that of UO2(+), indicating that the Pa-O bonds are more susceptible to activation and formation of the bis-hydroxide intermediate, PaO(OH)2(+). To elucidate the nature of the water adduct of PaO2(+), hydration of PaO2(+) and UO2(+), as well as collision induced dissociation (CID) and ligand-exchange of the water adducts of PaO2(+) and UO2(+), was studied. The results indicate that, in contrast to UO2(H2O)(+), the protactinium oxo bis-hydroxide isomer, PaO(OH)2(+), is produced as a gas-phase species close in energy to the hydrate isomer, PaO2(H2O)(+). CID behavior similar to that of Th(OH)3(+) supports the assignment as PaO(OH)2(+). The gas-phase results are consistent with the spontaneous hydrolysis of PaO2(+) in aqueous solution, this in contrast to later AnO2(+) (An = U, Np, Pu), which forms stable hydrates in both solution and gas phase. In view of the known propensity for Th(IV) to hydrolyze, and previous gas-phase studies of other AnO2(+), it is concluded that the stabilities of oxo-hydroxides relative to oxide hydrates decreases in the order: Th(IV) > Pa(V) > U(V) > Np(V) > Pu(V). This trend suggests increasing covalency and decreasing ionicity of An-O bonds upon proceeding across the actinide series.

Activation of the oxo bond of uranyl, UO2(2+), was achieved by collision induced dissociation (CID) of UO2(N3)Cl2(-) in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. The gas phase complex UO2(N3)Cl2(-) was produced by electrospray ionization of solutions of UO2Cl2 and NaN3. CID of UO2(N3)Cl2(-) resulted in the loss of N2 to form UO(NO)Cl2(-), in which the "inert" uranyl oxo bond has been activated. Formation of UO2Cl2(-) via N3 loss was also observed. Density functional theory computations predict that the UO(NO)Cl2(-) complex has nonplanar Cs symmetry and a singlet ground state. Analysis of the bonding of the UO(NO)Cl2(-) complex shows that the side-on bonded NO moiety can be considered as NO(3-), suggesting a formal oxidation state of U(VI). Activation of the uranyl oxo bond in UO2(N3)Cl2(-) to form UO(NO)Cl2(-) and N2 was computed to be endothermic by 169 kJ/mol, which is energetically more favorable than formation of NUOCl2(-) and UO2Cl2(-). The observation of UO2Cl2(-) during CID is most likely due to the absence of an energy barrier for neutral ligand loss.

Several lanthanide and actinide tetranitrate ions, M(III)(NO3)4(-), were produced by electrospray ionization and subjected to collision induced dissociation in quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometers. The nature of the MO(NO3)3(-) products that result from NO2 elimination was evaluated by measuring the relative hydrolysis rates under thermalized conditions. Based on the experimental results it is inferred that the hydrolysis rates relate to the intrinsic stability of the M(IV) oxidation states, which correlate with both the solution IV/III reduction potentials and the fourth ionization energies. Density functional theory computations of the energetics of hydrolysis and atoms-in-molecules bonding analysis of representative oxide and hydroxide nitrates substantiate the interpretations. The results allow differentiation between those MO(NO3)3(-) that comprise an O(2-) ligand with oxidation to M(IV) and those that comprise a radical O(-) ligand with retention of the M(III) oxidation state. In the particular cases of MO(NO3)3(-) for M = Pr, Nd and Tb it is proposed that the oxidation states are intermediate between M(III) and M(IV).

Gas-phase complexes of uranyl(V) ligated to anions X(-) (X = F, Cl, Br, I, OH, NO3, ClO4, HCO2, CH3CO2, CF3CO2, CH3COS, NCS, N3), [UO2X2](-), were produced by electrospray ionization and reacted with O2 in a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer to form uranyl(VI) anionic complexes, [UO2X2(O2)](-), comprising a superoxo ligand. The comparative rates for the oxidation reactions were measured, ranging from relatively fast [UO2(OH)2](-) to slow [UO2I2](-). The reaction rates of [UO2X2](-) ions containing polyatomic ligands were significantly faster than those containing the monatomic halogens, which can be attributed to the greater number of vibrational degrees of freedom in the polyatomic ligands to dissipate the energy of the initial O2-association complexes. The effect of the basicity of the X(-) ligands was also apparent in the relative rates for O2 addition, with a general correlation between increasing ligand basicity and O2-addition efficiency for polyatomic ligands. Collision-induced dissociation of the superoxo complexes showed in all cases loss of O2 to form the [UO2X2](-) anions, indicating weaker binding of the O2(-) ligand compared to the X(-) ligands. Density functional theory computations of the structures and energetics of selected species are in accord with the experimental observations.

The complexation of representative lanthanides with three calix[4]arenes functionalized with four pyrazine pendent arms containing different substituents such as carbamoyl dioctyl (), diisopropyl phosphonate (), and diphenyl phosphoryl () was investigated in water-saturated 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (BumimTf2N) by absorption spectroscopy, luminescence spectroscopy, and microcalorimetry. All three ligands form 1 : 1 ML complexes (M = Eu(3+) and L = ligand), and the stability constants (log β) follow the order: (-1.38 ± 0.66) ≪ (3.71 ± 0.02) < (7.47 ± 0.03), similar to the trend in the metal distribution coefficients in solvent extraction using these ligands as extractants. The enthalpy of complexation, determined by microcalorimetry, shows that the complexation of lanthanides with these bulky ligands is exothermic, and proceeds via replacement of water molecules from the primary coordination spheres. The 1 : 1 stoichiometry of the ML complexes was confirmed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Results from optical absorption, luminescence and (31)P-NMR spectroscopy suggest that, out of four pendent arms on the rigid calixarene platform, only two arms coordinate with the lanthanide ion and each arm is tridentate. The influence of structural features of the ligand on the complexation of lanthanides is explained with the help of thermodynamic parameters.

The gas-phase complex UO2(TMOGA)2(2+) (TMOGA = tetramethyl-3-oxa-glutaramide) prepared by electrospray ionization was characterized by infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy. The IRMPD spectrum from 700-1800 cm(-1) was interpreted using a computational study based on density functional theory. The predicted vibrational frequencies are in good agreement with the measured values, with an average deviation of only 8 cm(-1) (<1%) and a maximum deviation of 21 cm(-1) (<2%). The only IR peak assigned to the linear uranyl moiety was the asymmetric ν3 mode, which appeared at 965 cm(-1) and was predicted by DFT as 953 cm(-1). This ν3 frequency is red-shifted relative to bare uranyl, UO2(2+), by ca. 150 cm(-1) due to electron donation from the TMOGA ligands. Based on the degree of red-shifting, it is inferred that two TMOGA oxygen-donor ligands have a greater effective gas basicity than the four monodentate acetone ligands in UO2(acetone)4(2+). The uranyl ν3 frequency was also computed for uranyl coordinated by two TMGA ligands, in which the central Oether of TMOGA has been replaced by CH2. The computed ν3 for UO2(TMGA)2(2+), 950 cm(-1), is essentially the same as that for UO2(TMOGA)2(2+), suggesting that electron donation to uranyl from the Oether of TMOGA is minor. The computed ν3 asymmetric stretching frequencies for the three actinyl complexes, UO2(TMOGA)2(2+), NpO2(TMOGA)2(2+) and PuO2(TMOGA)2(2+), are comparable. This similarity is discussed in the context of the relationship between ν3 and intrinsic actinide-oxygen bond energies in actinyl complexes.

Transfer of halogen atoms from halogenated acetate ligands, CX3CO2 (X = F, Cl, Br), to actinyls, AnO2(2+) (An = U, Np, Pu) is stimulated by collision-induced dissociation (CID) in a quadrupole ion trap. CID of [AnO2(CF3CO2)3](-) complexes results exclusively in F atom transfer, concomitant with elimination of CF2CO2, to produce [(CF3CO2)2AnO2F](-), [(CF3CO2)AnO2F2](-), and [AnO2F3](-). This contrasts with CID of transition metal fluoroacetates for which CO2-elimination to produce organometallics is an important pathway, a disparity that can be attributed to the differing bond dissociation energies (BDEs) of the created metal-carbon and metal-fluorine bonds. The dominant pathway for CID of [AnO2(CF3CO2)(CCl3CO2)(CBr3CO2)](-) is Br-atom transfer to produce [(CF3CO2)(CCl3CO2)AnO2Br](-). The preferential formation of bromides, despite that the BDEs of An-F bonds are substantially greater than those of An-Br bonds, is attributed to the offsetting effect of higher BDEs for C-F versus C-Br bonds. The results for the trihaloacetates are similar for uranyl, neptunyl and plutonyl, indicating that for all three the An-X bond dissociation energies are sufficiently high that X atom transfer is overwhelmingly dominant. CID of [UO2(CH2XCO2)2(CX3CO2)](-) (X = F, Cl, Br) resulted in F-transfer only from CH2XCO2, but Cl- and Br-transfer from both CH2XCO2 and CX3CO2, a manifestation of the characteristic increase in BDE[C-F] in CHx-nFn species as n increases; the overall thermochemistry determines the observed CID processes, providing clear distinctions between fluorides and chlorides/bromides. The results of this work reveal the propensity of the actinides to form strong bonds with halogens, and suggest that there is not a large variation in actinyl-halogen BDEs between uranyl, neptunyl, and plutonyl.

Gas-phase plutonium nitrate anion complexes were produced by electrospray ionization (ESI) of a plutonium nitrate solution. The ESI mass spectrum included species with all four of the common oxidation states of plutonium: Pu(III), Pu(IV), Pu(V), and Pu(VI). Plutonium nitrate complexes were isolated in a quadrupole ion trap and subjected to collision-induced dissociation (CID). CID of complexes of the general formula PuOx(NO3)y(-) resulted in the elimination of NO2 to produce PuOx+1(NO3)y-1(-), which in most cases corresponds to an increase in the oxidation state of plutonium. Plutonyl species, Pu(V)O2(NO3)2(-) and Pu(VI)O2(NO3)3(-), were produced from Pu(III)(NO3)4(-) and Pu(IV)(NO3)5(-), respectively, by the elimination of two NO2 molecules. CID of Pu(VI)O2(NO3)3(-) resulted in NO2 elimination to yield PuO3(NO3)2(-), in which the oxidation state of plutonium could be VII, a known oxidation state in condensed phase but not yet in the gas phase. Density functional theory confirmed the nature of Pu(V)O2(NO3)2(-) and Pu(VI)O2(NO3)3(-) as plutonyl(V/VI) cores coordinated by bidentate equatorial nitrate ligands. The computed structure of PuO3(NO3)2(-) is essentially a plutonyl(VI) core, Pu(VI)O2(2+), coordinated in the equatorial plane by two nitrate ligands and one radical oxygen atom. The computations indicate that in the ground spin-orbit free state of PuO3(NO3)2(-), the unpaired electron of the oxygen atom is antiferromagnetically coupled to the spin-triplet state of the plutonyl core. The results indicate that Pu(VII) is not a readily accessible oxidation state in the gas phase, despite that it is stable in solution and solids, but rather that a Pu(VI)-O· bonding configuration is favored, in which an oxygen radical is involved.

Tripositive lanthanide and actinide ions, Ln(3+) (Ln = La-Lu) and An(3+) (An = Pu, Am, Cm), were transferred from solution to gas by electrospray ionization as Ln(L)3(3+) and An(L)3(3+) complexes, where L = tetramethyl-3-oxa-glutaramide (TMOGA). The fragmentation chemistry of the complexes was examined by collision-induced and electron transfer dissociation (CID and ETD). Protonated TMOGA, HL(+), and Ln(L)(L-H)(2+) are the major products upon CID of La(L)3(3+), Ce(L)3(3+), and Pr(L)3(3+), while Ln(L)2(3+) is increasingly pronounced beyond Pr. A C-Oether bond cleavage product appears upon CID of all Ln(L)3(3+); only for Eu(L)3(3+) is the divalent complex, Eu(L)2(2+), dominant. The CID patterns of Pu(L)3(3+), Am(L)3(3+), and Cm(L)3(3+) are similar to those of the Ln(L)3(3+) for the late Ln. A striking exception is the appearance of Pu(IV) products upon CID of Pu(L)3(3+), in accord with the relatively low Pu(IV)/Pu(III) reduction potential in solution. Minor divalent Ln(L)2(2+) and An(L)2(2+) were produced for all Ln and An; with the exception of Eu(L)2(2+) these complexes form adducts with O2, presumably producing superoxides in which the trivalent oxidation state is recovered. ETD of Ln(L)3(3+) and An(L)3(3+) reveals behavior which parallels that of the Ln(3+) and An(3+) ions in solution. A C-Oether bond cleavage product, in which the trivalent oxidation state is preserved, appeared for all complexes; charge reduction products, Ln(L)2(2+) and Ln(L)3(2+), appear only for Sm, Eu, and Yb, which have stable divalent oxidation states. Both CID and ETD reveal chemistry that reflects the condensed-phase redox behavior of the 4f and 5f elements.

Introduction: It has been proposed that proarrhythmia assessment for safety pharmacology testing includes the use of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CM) to detect drug-induced changes in cardiac electrophysiology. This study measured the actions of diverse agents on action potentials (AP) and ion currents recorded from hiPSC-CM., Methods: During AP experiments, the hiPSC-CM were paced at 1Hz during a baseline period, and when increasing concentrations of test compound were administered at 4-minute intervals. AP parameters, including duration (APD60 and APD90), resting membrane potential, rate of rise, and amplitude, were measured throughout the entire experiment. Voltage clamp experiments with E-4031 and nifedipine were similarly conducted., Results: E-4031 produced a dose-dependent prolongation of cardiac action potential and blocked the hERG/IKr current with an IC50 of 17nM. At 3nM, dofetilide significantly increased APD90. Astemizole significantly increased APD60 and APD90 at 30nM. Terfenadine significantly increased APD90 at concentrations greater than 10nM. Fexofenadine, a metabolite of terfenadine, did not produce any electrophysiologic changes in cardiac action potentials. Flecainide produced a dose-dependent prolongation of the cardiac action potential at 1 and 3μM. Acute exposure to nifedipine significantly decreased APD60 and APD90 and produced a dose-dependent block of calcium current with an IC50 of 0.039μM. Verapamil first shortened APD60 and APD90 in a dose-dependent manner, until a compensating increase in APD90, presumably via hERG blockade, was observed at 1 and 3μM. Following a chronic exposure (20-24h) to clinically relevant levels of pentamidine, a significant increase in action potential duration was accompanied by early afterdepolarizations (EADs)., Discussion: These experiments show the ability of AP measured from hiPSC-CM to record the interactions of various ion channels via AP recording and avoid the limitations of using several single ion channel assays in a noncardiac tissue., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In a prior study [Van Stipdonk; et al. J. Phys. Chem. A 2006, 110, 959-970], electrospray ionization (ESI) was used to generate doubly charged complex ions composed of the uranyl ion and acetonitrile (acn) ligands. The complexes, general formula [UO2(acn)n](2+), n = 0-5, were isolated in an 3-D quadrupole ion-trap mass spectrometer to probe intrinsic reactions with H2O. Two general reaction pathways were observed: (a) the direct addition of one or more H2O ligands to the doubly charged complexes and (b) charge-exchange reactions. For the former, the intrinsic tendency to add H2O was dependent on the number and type of nitrile ligand. For the latter, charge exchange involved primarily the formation of uranyl hydroxide, [UO2OH](+), presumably via a collision with gas-phase H2O and the elimination of a protonated nitrile ligand. Examination of general ion fragmentation patterns by collision-induced dissociation, however, was hindered by the pronounced tendency to generate hydrated species. In an update to this story, we have revisited the fragmentation of uranyl-acetonitrile complexes in a linear ion-trap (LIT) mass spectrometer. Lower partial pressures of adventitious H2O in the LIT (compared to the 3-D ion trap used in our previous study) minimized adduct formation and allowed access to lower uranyl coordination numbers than previously possible. We have now been able to investigate the fragmentation behavior of these complex ions completely, with a focus on tendency to undergo ligand elimination versus charge reduction reactions. CID can be used to drive ligand elimination to completion to furnish the bare uranyl dication, UO2(2+). In addition, fragmentation of [UO2(acn)](2+) generated [UO2(NC)](+), which subsequently fragmented to furnish NUO(+). Formation of the nitrido by transfer of N from cyanide was confirmed using precursors labeled with (15)N. The observed formation of [UO2(NC)](+) and NUO(+) was modeled by density functional theory.

Electrospray ionization (ESI) in the negative ion mode was used to create anionic, gas-phase oxo-molybdenum complexes with dithiolene ligands. By varying ESI and ion transfer conditions, both doubly and singly charged forms of the complex, with identical formulas, could be observed. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the dianion generated exclusively the monoanion, while fragmentation of the monoanion involved decomposition of the dithiolene ligands. The intrinsic structure of the monoanion and the dianion were determined by using wavelength-selective infrared multiple-photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The IRMPD spectrum for the dianion exhibits absorptions that can be assigned to (ligand) C ═ C, C-S, C-C ≡ N, and Mo ═ O stretches. Comparison of the IRMPD spectrum to spectra predicted for various possible conformations allows assignment of a pseudo square pyramidal structure with C2v symmetry, equatorial coordination of MoO(2+) by the S atoms of the dithiolene ligands, and a singlet spin state. A single absorption was observed for the oxidized complex. When the same scaling factor employed for the dianion is used for the oxidized version, theoretical spectra suggest that the absorption is the Mo ═ O stretch for a distorted square pyramidal structure and doublet spin state. A predicted change in conformation upon oxidation of the dianion is consistent with a proposed bonding scheme for the bent-metallocene dithiolene compounds [Lauher, J. W.; Hoffmann, R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1976 , 98 , 1729 - 1742], where a large folding of the dithiolene moiety along the S · · · S vector is dependent on the occupancy of the in-plane metal d-orbital.