Separation of systems based on uranium hexafluoride and some of halogen fluorides

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the comprehensive study of the phase equilibriums liquid-solid and liquid-vapour in binary and ternary systems, formed by uranium hexafluoride, bromine trifluoride and iodine pentafluoride.Investigation of the phase equilibriums in condensed systems is done by methods of differential thermoanalysis and visual polythermal analysis. All systems belong to simple eutectics; formation of the compounds is not detected. For all systems under investigation diagrams of the phase equilibrium liquid-solid are plotted.Phase equilibriums liquid-vapour in studied systems were studied by statistical method. All systems are non-aseotropic. The article presents diagrams of the phase equilibrium liquid-vapour in binary systems, pressure of the saturated vapour dependences on liquid composition, surface of the boiling liquid and lines of the constant content of uranium hexafluoride and iodine pentafluoride in vapour phase of the ternary system UF₆-BrF₃-IF₅.     

UF6 and UF4 in Liquid Ammonia: [UF7(NH3)]3− and [UF4(NH3)4]

From the reaction of uranium hexafluoride UF₆ with dry liquid ammonia, the [UF₇(NH₃)]^3? anion and the [UF₄(NH₃)₄] molecule were isolated and identified for the first time. They are found in signal‐green crystals of trisammonium monoammine heptafluorouranate(IV) ammonia (1:1; [NH₄]₃[UF₇(NH₃)] ? NH₃) and emerald‐green crystals of tetraammine tetrafluorouranium(IV) ammonia (1:1; [UF₄(NH₃)₄] ? NH₃). [NH₄]₃[UF₇(NH₃)] ? NH₃ features discrete [UF₇(NH₃)]^3? anions with a coordination geometry similar to a bicapped trigonal prism, hitherto unknown for U^IV compounds. The emerald‐green [UF₄(NH₃)₄] ? NH₃ contains discrete tetraammine tetrafluorouranium(IV) [UF₄(NH₃)₄] molecules. [UF₄(NH₃)₄] ? NH₃ is not stable at room temperature and forms pastel‐green [UF₄(NH₃)₄] as a powder that is surprisingly stable up to 147 °C. The compounds are the first structurally characterized ammonia complexes of uranium fluorides.     

Cathodic adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of uranium (VI) complexed with 2, 6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid

Uranium (VI) (U(VI)) forms a complex with dipicolinic acid (2, 6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid).This complex can be used for a highly sensitive and selective determination of uranium by adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (ACSV) using a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) as working electrode. Influence of effective parameters such as pH, concentration of ligand, accumulation potential and accumulation time on the sensitivity and selectivity were studied. The detection limit (3σ of the blank value) obtained under the optimal experimental conditions is 0.27 × 10⁻⁹ M after 150 s of the accumulation time. The peak current is proportional to the concentration of U(VI) in the range of 1 × 10⁻⁹ to 1.2 × 10⁻⁷ M. The relative standard deviation of 2.5% at the 3.5 × 10⁻⁸ M level was obtained. The interference of some metal ions and anions were studied. The application of this method was tested in the determination of uranium in synthetic and natural water samples.     

Preconcentration techniques for uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) prior to analytical determination-an overview

The need for the preconcentration of trace and ultratrace amounts of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) in conjunction with various detection techniques was clearly brought out in the introductory part. Subsequently, various off-line and on-line procedures developed for uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) prior to their analytical determination since 1990 were critically reviewed in terms of enrichment factor, retention/sorption capacity, validation using certified reference materials and application to complex real samples. The relative merits and demerits of various preconcentration and/or separation of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) prior to quantitation by a plethora of analytical techniques are discussed in concluding part of the review article.     

Adaptable coordination of U(IV) in the 2D-(4,4) uranium oxalate network: From 8 to 10 coordinations in the uranium (IV) oxalate hydrates

Crystals of uranium (IV) oxalate hydrates, U(C₂O₄)₂·6H₂O (1) and U(C₂O₄)₂·2H₂O (2), were obtained by hydrothermal methods using two different U(IV) precursors, U₃O₈ oxide and nitric U(IV) solution in presence of hydrazine to avoid oxidation of U(IV) into uranyl ion. Growth of crystals of solvated monohydrated uranium (IV) oxalate, U(C₂O₄)₂·H₂O·(dma) (3), dma=dimethylamine, was achieved by slow diffusion of U(IV) into a gel containing oxalate ions. The three structures are built on a bi-dimensional complex polymer of U(IV) atoms connected through bis-bidentate oxalate ions forming [U(C₂O₄)]₄ pseudo-squares. The flexibility of this supramolecular arrangement allows modifications of the coordination number of the U(IV) atom which, starting from 8 in 1 increases to 9 in 3 and, finally increases, to 10 in 2. The coordination polyhedron changes from a distorted cube, formed by eight oxygen atoms of four oxalate ions, in 1, to a mono-capped square anti-prism in 3 and, finally, to a di-capped square anti-prism in 2, resulting from rotation of the oxalate ions and addition of one and two water oxygen atoms in the coordination of U(IV). In 1, the space between the _∞²[U(C₂O₄)₂] planar layers is occupied by non-coordinated water molecules; in 2, the space between the staggered _∞²[U(C₂O₄)₂·2H₂O] layers is empty, finally in 3, the solvate molecules occupy the interlayer space between corrugated _∞²[U(C₂O₄)₂·H₂O] sheets. The thermal decomposition of U(C₂O₄)₂·6H₂O under air and argon atmospheres gives U₃O₈ and UO₂, respectively.     

Synthesis and small molecule reactivity of uranium(IV) alkoxide complexes with both bound and pendant N-heterocyclic carbene ligands

The syntheses of two tetravalent uranium alkoxide-carbene complexes are reported, [UIL3], and [UL4] where L = OCMe2CH2[1-C(NCHCHNiPr)]. The latter shows dynamic behaviour of the alkoxycarbene ligands in solution at room temperature, and the crystal structure of [UL4] shows that one carbene group remains uncoordinated. The unbound N-heterocyclic carbene group is trapped by a range of reagents such as 16-valence-electron metal carbonyl fragments and BH3 moieties, forming, for example, [UL3(mu-L)W(CO)5], [UL2(mu-L)2Mo(CO)4], and [UL(n)(L-BH3)(4-n)] (n = 1-4), demonstrating the potential for these hemilabile electropositive metal-carbene complexes to participate in the bifunctional activation of small molecules.     

Extraction of uranium(IV) and uranium(VI) by primary and tertiary-amines from sulphate solutions

In developing a method for possible low level isotopic enrichment, which uses to advantage the equilibrium isotope effect observed during U(1V)-U(VI) electron exchange reaction in sulphate solutions, details of a solvent extraction process involving high concentration of a mixture of U(IV) and U(VI) and at low acid concentrations, are described. The extraction behaviour of uranium under these conditions is discussed. During the extraction with amines, U(IV) tended to get oxidised in sulphate solutions.     

Trinuclear Schiff base complexes with uranium(V) and copper(II) or zinc(II) ions

Treatment of the uranium(IV) complexes [{ML¹(py)}₂U^IV] (M = Cu, Zn; L¹ = N,N′-bis(3-hydroxysalicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine) with silver nitrate in pyridine led to the formation of the corresponding cationic uranium(V) species which were found to be thermally unstable and were converted back into the parent U^IV complexes; no electron transfer was observed in solution between the U^IV and U^V compounds. In the crystals of [{ML¹(py)}₂U^IV][{ML¹(py)}₂U^V][NO₃], the neutral U^IV and cationic U^V species are clearly identified by the distinct U–O distances. Similar reaction of [{ZnL²(py)}₂U^IV] [L² = N,N′-bis(3-hydroxysalicylidene)-1,4-butanediamine] with AgNO₃ gave crystals of [{ZnL²(py)}U^V{ZnL²(py)₂}][NO₃] but the copper counterpart was not isolated. Crystals of [{ZnL¹(py)}₂U^V][OTf] · THF (OTf = OSO₂CF₃) were obtained fortuitously from the reaction of [Zn(H₂L¹)] and U(OTf)₃.     

Photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical studies of UF5(-) and UF6(-)

The UF(5)(-) and UF(6)(-) anions are produced using electrospray ionization and investigated by photoelectron spectroscopy and relativistic quantum chemistry. An extensive vibrational progression is observed in the spectra of UF(5)(-), indicating significant geometry changes between the anion and neutral ground state. Franck-Condon factor simulations of the observed vibrational progression yield an adiabatic electron detachment energy of 3.82 ± 0.05 eV for UF(5)(-). Relativistic quantum calculations using density functional and ab initio theories are performed on UF(5)(-) and UF(6)(-) and their neutrals. The ground states of UF(5)(-) and UF(5) are found to have C(4v) symmetry, but with a large U-F bond length change. The ground state of UF(5)(-) is a triplet state ((3)B(2)) with the two 5f electrons occupying a 5f(z3)-based 8a(1) highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the 5f(xyz)-based 2b(2) HOMO-1 orbital. The detachment cross section from the 5f(xyz) orbital is observed to be extremely small and the detachment transition from the 2b(2) orbital is more than ten times weaker than that from the 8a(1) orbital at the photon energies available. The UF(6)(-) anion is found to be octahedral, similar to neutral UF(6) with the extra electron occupying the 5f(xyz)-based a(2u) orbital. Surprisingly, no photoelectron spectrum could be observed for UF(6)(-) due to the extremely low detachment cross section from the 5f(xyz)-based HOMO of UF(6)(-).     

Synthesis and characterization of uranium (IV) phosphate-hydrogenphosphate hydrate and cerium (IV) phosphate-hydrogenphosphate hydrate

A new uranium (IV) phosphate of proposed formula U₂(PO₄)₂HPO₄·H₂O, i.e. uranium phosphate-hydrogenphosphate hydrate (UPHPH), was synthesized in autoclave and/or in polytetrafluoroethylene closed containers at 150 °C by three ways: from uranium (IV) hydrochloric solution and phosphoric acid, from uranium dioxide and phosphoric acid and by transformation of the uranium hydrogenphosphate hydrate U(HPO₄)₂·nH₂O. The new product appears similar to the previously published thorium phosphate-hydrogenphosphate hydrate Th₂(PO₄)₂HPO₄·H₂O (TPHPH). From preliminary studies, it was found that UPHPH crystallizes in monoclinic system (, , , β=91.67(3)° and ). Heated under inert atmosphere, this compound is decomposed above 400 °C into uranium phosphate-triphosphate U₂(PO₄)P₃O₁₀, uranium diphosphate α-UP₂O₇ and diuranium oxide phosphate U₂O(PO₄)₂.Crystallized cerium (IV) phosphate-hydrogenphosphate hydrate Ce₂(PO₄)₂HPO₄·H₂O (CePHPH) was also synthesized from (NH₄)₂Ce(NO₃)₆ and phosphoric acid solutions by the same method (monoclinic system: , , , β=91.98(1)° and ). When heating above 600 °C, cerium (IV) is reduced into Ce (III) and forms a mixture of CePO₄ (monazite structure) and CeP₃O₉.     

Synthesis and characterization of uranium (IV) complexes with various amino acids

Complexes of uranium in its IV oxidation state, using cysteine, glycine, serine and aspartic acid as ligands, have been synthesized. Semi-microanalysis of the complexes indicate 1:1 metal to ligand ratio for all the synthesized complexes. Infrared spectra of solid complexes have been employed to establish the groups, coordinated to the metal ion. Effective magnetic moment of the complexes were also estimated.     

乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原(HBsAg)的高效表达和分离纯化

从病人血清中采用PCR扩增得到了编码HBV-HBsAg蛋白的S基因片段,将其转入PET-His表达载体,构建了原核表达质粒pET-His-HBsAg,转化大肠杆菌BL21,IPTG诱导表达。收获菌体超声波破碎后,梯度蔗糖溶液洗脱杂质。HBsAg在原核系统中高效表达分子量为25 kDa,并得到了纯度为97%的HBsAg蛋白。为进一步研究HBsAg奠定了基础。     

Lanthanide(III)/actinide(III) differentiation in the cerium and uranium complexes [M(C5Me5)2(L)]0,+ (L=2,2'-bipyridine, 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine): structural, magnetic, and reactivity studies

Treatment of [Ce(Cp*)(2)I] or [U(Cp*)(2)I(py)] with 1 mol equivalent of bipy (Cp*=C(5)Me(5); bipy=2,2'-bipyridine) in THF gave the adducts [M(Cp*)(2)I(bipy)] (M=Ce (1 a), M=U (1 b)), which were transformed into [M(Cp*)(2)(bipy)] (M=Ce (2 a), M=U (2 b)) by Na(Hg) reduction. The crystal structures of 1 a and 1 b show, by comparing the U-N and Ce-N distances and the variations in the C-C and C-N bond lengths within the bidentate ligand, that the extent of donation of electron density into the LUMO of bipy is more important in the actinide than in the lanthanide compound. Reaction of [Ce(Cp*)(2)I] or [U(Cp*)(2)I(py)] with 1 mol equivalent of terpy (terpy=2,2':6',2'-terpyridine) in THF afforded the adducts [M(Cp*)(2)(terpy)]I (M=Ce (3 a), M=U (3 b)), which were reduced to the neutral complexes [M(Cp*)(2)(terpy)] (M=Ce (4 a), M=U (4 b)) by sodium amalgam. The complexes [M(Cp*)(2)(terpy)][M(Cp*)(2)I(2)] (M=Ce (5 a), M=U (5 b)) were prepared from a 2:1 mixture of [M(Cp*)(2)I] and terpy. The rapid and reversible electron-transfer reactions between 3 and 4 in solution were revealed by (1)H NMR spectroscopy. The spectrum of 5 b is identical to that of the 1:1 mixture of [U(Cp*)(2)I(py)] and 3 b, or [U(Cp*)(2)I(2)] and 4 b. The magnetic data for 3 and 4 are consistent with trivalent cerium and uranium species, with the formulation [M(III)(Cp*)(2)(terpy(*-))] for 4 a and 4 b, in which spins on the individual units are uncoupled at 300 K and antiferromagnetically coupled at low temperature. Comparison of the crystal structures of 3 b, 4 b, and 5 b with those of 3 a and the previously reported ytterbium complex [Yb(Cp*)(2)(terpy)] shows that the U-N distances are much shorter, by 0.2 A, than those expected from a purely ionic bonding model. This difference should reflect the presence of stronger electron transfer between the metal and the terpy ligand in the actinide compounds. This feature is also supported by the small but systematic structural variations within the terdentate ligands, which strongly suggest that the LUMO of terpy is more filled in the actinide than in the lanthanide complexes and that the canonical forms [U(IV)(Cp*)(2)(terpy(*-))]I and [U(IV)(Cp*)(2)(terpy(2-))] contribute significantly to the true structures of 3 b and 4 b, respectively. This assumption was confirmed by the reactions of complexes 3 and 4 with the H(.) and H(+) donor reagents Ph(3)SnH and NEt(3)HBPh(4), which led to clear differentiation of the cerium and uranium complexes. No reaction was observed between 3 a and Ph(3)SnH, while the uranium counterpart 3 b was transformed in pyridine into the uranium(IV) compound [U(Cp*)(2){NC(5)H(4)(py)(2)}]I (6), where NC(5)H(4)(py)(2) is the 2,6-dipyridyl(hydro-4-pyridyl) ligand. Complex 6 was further hydrogenated to [U(Cp*)(2){NC(5)H(8)(py)(2)}]I (7) by an excess of Ph(3)SnH in refluxing pyridine. Treatment of 4 a with NEt(3)HBPh(4) led to oxidation of the terpy(*-) ligand and formation of [Ce(Cp*)(2)(terpy)]BPh(4), whereas similar reaction with 4 b afforded [U(Cp*)(2){NC(5)H(4)(py)(2)}]BPh(4) (6'). The crystal structures of 6, 6' and 7 were determined.     

Synthesis and reactivity of bis(imido) uranium(VI) cyclopentadienyl complexes

The bis(imido) uranium(VI)-C(5)H(5) and -C(5)Me(5) complexes (C(5)H(5))(2)U(N(t)Bu)(2), (C(5)Me(5))(2)U(N(t)Bu)(2), (C(5)H(5))U(N(t)Bu)(2)(I)(dmpe), and (C(5)H(5))(2)U(N(t)Bu)(2)(dmpe) can be synthesized from reactions between U(N(t)Bu)(2)(I)(2)(L)(x) (L=THF, x=2; L=dmpe, x=1) and Na(C(5)R(5)) (R=H, Me); these complexes represent the first structurally characterized C(5)H(5)-compounds of uranium(VI) and they further highlight the differences between UO(2)(2+) and the bis(imido) fragment.     

Density functional calculations of 19F and 235U NMR chemical shifts in uranium (VI) chloride fluorides UF6−nCln: Influence of the relativistic approximation and role of the exchange‐correlation functional

Relativistic density functional theory (DFT) has been applied to the calculation of the ¹⁹F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) chemical shifts of the title compounds. It is shown that, while large‐core effective core potentials (ECP) fail completely for the calculation of ligand NMR chemical shifts in uranium compounds, small‐core ECPs are a valid relativistic method for this purpose. In an earlier study of the same systems, certain differences between theory and experiment had been observed, for instance, in the relative chemical shift of the A₄ and X sites in UF₅Cl. The reason for these deviations has been investigated further in the current paper. By comparing different relativistic methods, it is shown that the relativistic approximation is not responsible for these deviations. The role of the approximation to the exchange‐correlation (XC) functional of DFT has been probed, and generalized gradient approximations (GGA) as well as hybrid DFT methods have been investigated. None of these methods corrects the mentioned errors. It is argued that the neglect of environmental factors (solvent effects) remains as a possible error source, although the approximate XC functional appears to be the more likely cause of the problem. ²³⁵U NMR shieldings and chemical shifts have been calculated, and the trends predicted earlier have been confirmed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005