Speaker: Robert K. Thomson, Assistant Professor,
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma

Novel Photochemical Methods of Generating U=N Multiple Bonds

Abstract:
Multiple bonds between uranium and main-group elements are important molecular constructs as they help to shed light on the nature of bonding in actinides and the degree of involvement of f-orbitals in such species. Uranium nitrides (U¡ÔN) are particularly fascinating multiply-bonded fragments as they have relevance to the nuclear fuel cycle, where ceramic uranium nitrides (UN)x have been proposed as new advanced nuclear fuels that can replace traditional mixed-oxide (MOX) type fuel formulations. For these reasons, synthetic models of these U¡ÔN complexes have been long sought after targets, with success only being achieved very recently. This presentation will describe our application of photochemistry to generate the first terminal uranium nitride complex and its subsequent C-H bond activation chemistry and spectral properties. Our investigations have also uncovered a new photochemically-induced U-N bond cleavage process that results in U=N double bond formation. Our application of photochemistry to the synthesis of rare actinide species is a fundamentally new approach, and these results have inspired others to begin applying photochemical approaches to actinide science.