Single metal four-electron reduction by U(ii) and masked 'U(ii)' compounds

The redox chemistry of uranium is dominated by single electron transfer reactions while single metal four-electron transfers remain unknown in f-element chemistry. Here we show that the oxo bridged diuranium(iii) complex [K(2.2.2-cryptand)]2[{((Me3Si)2N)3U}2(μ-O)], 1, effects the two-electron reduction of diphenylacetylene and the four-electron reduction of azobenzene through a masked U(ii) intermediate affording a stable metallacyclopropene complex of uranium(iv), [K(2.2.2-cryptand)][U(η2-C2Ph2){N(SiMe3)2}3], 3, and a bis(imido)uranium(vi) complex [K(2.2.2-cryptand)][U(NPh)2{N(SiMe3)2}3], 4, respectively. The same reactivity is observed for the previously reported U(ii) complex [K(2.2.2-cryptand)][U{N(SiMe3)2}3], 2. Computational studies indicate that the four-electron reduction of azobenzene occurs at a single U(ii) centre via two consecutive two-electron transfers and involves the formation of a U(iv) hydrazide intermediate. The isolation of the cis-hydrazide intermediate [K(2.2.2-cryptand)][U(N2Ph2){N(SiMe3)2}3], 5, corroborated the mechanism proposed for the formation of the U(vi) bis(imido) complex. The reduction of azobenzene by U(ii) provided the first example of a “clear-cut” single metal four-electron transfer in f-element chemistry.
Both a masked and the actual complex [U(ii){N(SiMe3)2}3]+ effect the reduction of azobenzene to yield a U(vi) bis-imido species providing the first example of a “clear-cut” metal centred four-electron reduction in f-element chemistry.