Sterically congested uranyl complexes with seven-coordination of the UO2 unit: the peculiar ligation mode of nitrate in [UO2(NO3)2(Rbtp)] complexes

Addition of 1 or 2 molar equiv of Rbtp Rbtp = 2,6-bis(5,6-dialkyl-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)pyridine; R = Me, Pr ( n )] to UO 2(OTf) 2 in anhydrous acetonitrile gave the neutral compounds UO 2(OTf) 2(Rbtp)] R = Me ( 1), ( n )Pr ( 2)] and the cationic complexes UO 2(Rbtp) 2]OTf] 2 R = Me ( 3), Pr ( n ) ( 4)], respectively. No equilibrium between the mono and bis(Rbtp) complexes or between UO 2(Rbtp) 2]OTf] 2 and free Rbtp in acetonitrile was detected by NMR spectroscopy. The crystal structures of 1 and 3 resemble those of their terpyridine analogues, and 3 is another example of a uranyl complex with the uranium atom in the unusual rhombohedral environment. In the presence of 1 molar equiv of Rbtp in acetonitrile, UO 2(NO 3) 2 was in equilibrium with UO 2(NO 3) 2(Rbtp)] and the formation of the bis adduct was not observed, even with an excess of Rbtp. The X-ray crystal structures of UO 2(NO 3) 2(Rbtp)] R = Me ( 5), Pr ( n ) ( 6)] reveal a particular coordination geometry with seven coordinating atoms around the UO 2 fragment. The large steric crowding in the equatorial girdle forces the bidentate nitrate ligands to be almost perpendicular to the mean equatorial plane, inducing bending of the UO 2 fragment. The dinuclear oxo compound U(CyMe 4btbp) 2(mu-O)UO 2(NO 3) 3]OTf] ( 7), which was obtained fortuitously from a 1:2:1 mixture of U(OTf) 4, CyMe 4btbp, and UO 2(NO 3) 2 CyMe 4btbp = 6,6'-bis-(3,3,6,6-tetramethyl-cyclohexane-1,2,4-triazin-3-yl)-2,2'-bipyridine] is a very rare example of a mixed valence complex involving covalently bound U (IV) and U (VI) ions; its crystal structure also exhibits a seven coordinate uranyl moiety, with one bidentate nitrate group almost parallel to the UO 2 fragment. The distinct structural features of UO 2(kappa (2)-NO 3) 2(Mebtp)], with its high coordination number and a noticeable bending of the UO 2 fragment, and of UO 2(kappa (2)-NO 3)(kappa (1)-NO 3)(terpy)], which displays a classical geometry, were analyzed by Density Functional Theory, considering the bonding energy components and the molecular orbitals involved in the interaction between the uranyl, nitrate, and Mebtp or terpy moieties. The unusual geometry of the Mebtp derivative with the seven coordinating atoms around the UO 2 fragment was found very stable. In both the Mebtp and terpy complexes, the origin of the interaction appears to be primarily steric (Pauli repulsion and electrostatic); this term represents 62-63% of the total bonding energy while the orbital term contributes to about 37-38%.