1
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Cao H, Kang Y, Li B, Liu Y, Bao M, Li H, Zheng Y, Wang L, Weng C, Tang X, Wang L, Xu C. Amine-Terminated Phenanthroline Diimides as Aqueous Masking Agents for Am(III)/Eu(III) Separation: An Alternative Ligand Design Strategy for Water-Soluble Lanthanide/Actinide Chelating Ligands. Inorg Chem 2024; 63:10511-10518. [PMID: 38768636 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c00710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Selective actinide coordination (from lanthanides) is critical for both nuclear waste management and sustainable development of nuclear power. Hydrophilic ligands used as masking agents to withhold actinides in the aqueous phase are currently highly pursued, while synthetic accessibility, water solubility, acid resistance, and extraction capability are the remaining problems. Most reported hydrophilic ligands are only effective at low acidity. We recently proved that the phenanthroline diimide skeleton was an efficient building block for the construction of highly efficient acid-resistant hydrophilic lanthanide/actinide separation agents, while the limited water solubility hindered the loading capability of the ligand. Herein, amine was introduced as the terminal solubilizing group onto the phenanthroline diimide backbone, which after protonation in acid showed high water solubility. The positively charged terminal amines enhanced the ligand water solubility to a large extent, which, on the other side, was believed to be detrimental for the coordination and complexation of the metal cations. We showed that by delicately adjusting the alkyl chain spacing, this intuitive disadvantage could be relieved and superior extraction performances could be achieved. This work holds significance for both hydrophilic lanthanide/actinide separation ligand design and, concurrently, offers insights into the development of water-soluble lanthanide/actinide complexes for biomedical and bioimaging applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Cao
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Yu Kang
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Centre for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Bin Li
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yaoyang Liu
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Mingjie Bao
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Haoyu Li
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Yuan Zheng
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Ludi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Chaoqun Weng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Centre for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiaoyan Tang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Centre for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Haidian District, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Chao Xu
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
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2
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Kynman AE, Grimes TS, Mezyk SP, Layne B, Cook AR, Rotermund BM, Horne GP. Generation and study of Am(IV) by temperature-controlled electron pulse radiolysis. Dalton Trans 2024; 53:9262-9266. [PMID: 38776119 DOI: 10.1039/d4dt00991f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
First-of-a-kind temperature-controlled electron pulse radiolysis experiments facilitated the radiation-induced formation of Am(IV) in concentrated (6.0 M) HNO3, and enabled the derivation of Arrhenius and Eyring activation parameters for instigating the radical reaction between NO3˙ and Am(III).
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy E Kynman
- Center for Radiation Chemistry Research, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415, USA.
- Glenn T. Seaborg Institute, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415, USA.
| | - Travis S Grimes
- Center for Radiation Chemistry Research, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415, USA.
| | - Stephen P Mezyk
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA 90840, USA
| | - Bobby Layne
- Department of Chemistry, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, 11973, USA
| | - Andrew R Cook
- Department of Chemistry, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York, 11973, USA
| | - Brian M Rotermund
- Department of Chemistry, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA
| | - Gregory P Horne
- Center for Radiation Chemistry Research, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID, 83415, USA.
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3
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Yan X, Jiang H, Liu Z, Wang D. Computational Comparative Study of the Binding of Americium with N-Donor Ligands. Inorg Chem 2024; 63:8206-8214. [PMID: 38647176 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c00448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The accessibility of multiple valence states of americium (Am) inspired redox-based protocols aimed at efficient separation of trivalent Am (Am3+) from trivalent lanthanides (Ln3+) alternative to the traditional liquid-liquid extraction. This requires an extensive understanding of the coordination chemistry of Am in its various accessible valence states in the aqueous phase. In this work, by means of DFT calculations, the coordination of AmIII-VI with five typical N-donor ligands, i.e., terpyridine (tpy), bispyrazinylpyridine (dpp), bistriazinylpyridine (BTP), bistriazinyl bipyridine (BTBP), and bistrazinyl phenanthroline (BTPhen), was studied in terms of energy and topological analysis. The results show that the exchange of aqua ligands of hydrated ions by N-donor ligands is an entropy-driven process and enthalpically unfavorable. Topological analysis suggests a distinct mechanism of BTP to modulate the redox potential of Am(III) in that BTP can assist the relay of the leaving electron of AmIII, while the other N-donor ligands can detain the oxidation of Am by offering their electron instead. This comparative study enriches our understanding of the coordination chemistry of high-valent Am with N-donor ligands and recommends the ligand design toward the modulation of redox potentials of hydrated Am(III) ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Liaoning Key Laboratory for Catalytic Conversion of Carbon Resources, School of Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Hui Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Liaoning Key Laboratory for Catalytic Conversion of Carbon Resources, School of Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Ziyi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Liaoning Key Laboratory for Catalytic Conversion of Carbon Resources, School of Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Dongqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Liaoning Key Laboratory for Catalytic Conversion of Carbon Resources, School of Chemistry, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
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4
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Shi C, Shen X. Spontaneous Multi-scale Supramolecular Assembly Driven by Noncovalent Interactions Coupled with the Continuous Marangoni Effect. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:6980-6989. [PMID: 38513349 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c00003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Reported herein is the multi-scale supramolecular assembly (MSSA) process along with redox reactions driven by supramolecular interactions coupled with the spontaneous Marangoni effect in ionic liquid (IL)-based extraction systems. The black powder, the single sphere with a black exterior, and the single colorless sphere were formed step by step at the interface when an aqueous solution of KMnO4 was mixed with the IL phase 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide (C2OHmimNTf2) bearing octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (CMPO). The mechanism of the whole process was studied systematically. The phenomena were related closely to the change in the valence state of Mn. The MnO4- ion could be reduced quickly to δ-MnO2 and further to Mn2+ slowly by the hydroxyl-functionalized IL C2OHmimNTf2. Based on Mn2+, Mn(CMPO)32+, elementary building blocks (EBBs), and [EBB]n clusters were generated step by step. The [EBB]n clusters with the large enough size that were transferred to the interface, together with the remaining δ-MnO2, assembled into the single sphere with a black exterior, driven by supramolecular interactions coupled with the spontaneous Marangoni effect. When the remaining δ-MnO2 was used up, the mixed single sphere turned completely colorless. It was found that the reaction site of C2OHmim+ with Mn(VII) and Mn(IV) was distributed mainly at the side chain with a hydroxyl group. The MSSA process presents unique spontaneous phase changes. This work paves the way for the practical application of the MSSA-based separation method developed recently. The process also provides a convenient way to observe in situ and characterize directly the continuous Marangoni effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ce Shi
- Fundamental Science on Radiochemistry and Radiation Chemistry Laboratory, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Center for Applied Physics and Technology, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Xinghai Shen
- Fundamental Science on Radiochemistry and Radiation Chemistry Laboratory, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences (BNLMS), Center for Applied Physics and Technology, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
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5
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Chu ZQ, Zhu RY, Su J. Dynamic dissolution of Cm 3+ ions incorporated at the calcite-water interface: an ab initio molecular dynamics simulation study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:7545-7553. [PMID: 38357997 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05611b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The stability of actinide-mineral solid solution in a water environment is critical for assessing the safety of nuclear-waste geological repositories and studying actinide migration in natural systems. However, the dissolution behavior of actinide ions incorporated at the mineral-water interface is still unclear at the atomic level. Herein, we present metadynamics simulations of the reaction pathways, thermodynamics and kinetics of trivalent curium ions (Cm3+) dissolving from calcite surfaces. Cm3+ ions incorporated in different calcite surfaces (i.e., terrace and stepped surfaces) with distinct coordination environments have different reaction pathways, free energy barriers and free energy changes. We found that Cm dissolution from a stepped surface is more favorable than that from a terrace surface, both thermodynamically and kinetically. In addition, water molecules seem to promote the detachment of curium ions from the surface by exerting a pulling force via water coordination with Cm3+ and a pushing force via proton migration to the surface layer and water diffusion in the vacant Cm site. Thus, the findings from this work prove to be a milestone in revealing the dynamic dissolution mechanism of trivalent actinides from minerals and would also help predict the dissolution behaviors of other metal ions at the solid-water interface in chemical and environmental sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhao-Qin Chu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, P. R. China.
| | - Ru-Yu Zhu
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, P. R. China.
| | - Jing Su
- College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, P. R. China.
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6
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Dong X, Hao H, Chen J, Wang Z, Xu C. Redox stabilization of Am(v) in a biphasic extraction system boosts americium/lanthanides separation efficiency. Chem Sci 2024; 15:2118-2122. [PMID: 38332823 PMCID: PMC10848673 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc06240f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Americium (Am) is a key radioactive element in consideration in nuclear waste treatment. Separation of Am from the fission products, lanthanides, is a prerequisite to minimize the hazardous impact of Am and make utilization of rare Am isotopes, but it represents a great challenge due to the chemical similarity between the two groups of elements. Herein, we realize the separation by first oxidizing Am(iii) to high valent Am(vi) and then converting it to Am(v) in situ in a biphasic extraction system with Bi(v) oxidant incorporated in an organic phase. Am(v) is highly stabilized during the separation process and this leads to record high Ln/Am separation factors (>105) in a single contact over a wide range of acidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Dong
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University 100084 Beijing China
| | - Huaixin Hao
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University 100084 Beijing China
| | - Jing Chen
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University 100084 Beijing China
| | - Zhipeng Wang
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University 100084 Beijing China
| | - Chao Xu
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University 100084 Beijing China
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7
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Liu Y, Kang Y, Bao M, Cao H, Weng C, Dong X, Hao H, Tang X, Chen J, Wang L, Xu C. Hydroxyl-group functionalized phenanthroline diimides as efficient masking agents for Am(III)/Eu(III) separation under harsh conditions. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 462:132756. [PMID: 37866146 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
The separation of Lns(III) from radioactive Ans(III) in high-level liquid waste remains a formidable hydrometallurgical challenge. Water-soluble ligands are believed to be new frontiers in the search of efficient Lns/Ans separation ligands to close the nuclear fuel cycles and dealing with current existing nuclear waste. Currently, the development of hydrophilic ligands far lags behind their lipophilic counterparts due to their complicated synthetic procedures, inferior extraction performances, and acid tolerances. In this paper, we have showed a series of hydroxyl-group functionalized phenanthroline diimides were efficient masking agents for Am(III)/Eu(III) separation under high acidity (˃ 1 M HNO3). Record high SFEu(III)/Am(III) of 162 and 264 were observed for Phen-2DIC2OH and Phen-2DIC4OH in 1.25 M HNO3 which represents the best Eu(III)/Am(III) separation performance at this acidity. UV-vis absorption, NMR and TRLFS titrations were conducted to elucidate the predominant of 1:1 ligand/metal species under extraction conditions. X-ray data of both the ligand and Eu(III) complex together with DFT calculations revealed the superior extraction performances and selectivities. The current reported hydrophilic ligands were easy to prepare and readily to scale-up, acid tolerant and highly efficient, together with their CHON-compatible nature make them promising candidates in the development of advanced separation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyang Liu
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yu Kang
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Mingjie Bao
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China
| | - Hong Cao
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Chaoqun Weng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 China
| | - Xue Dong
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Huaixin Hao
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaoyan Tang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 China
| | - Jing Chen
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China.
| | - Chao Xu
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, China.
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8
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Wu Q, Hao H, Liu Y, Sha LT, Wang WJ, Shi WQ, Wang Z, Yan ZY. Selective Separation of Americium(III), Curium(III), and Lanthanide(III) by Aqueous and Organic Competitive Extraction. Inorg Chem 2024; 63:462-473. [PMID: 38141022 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c03331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Adding hydrophilic ligands into aqueous solutions for the selective binding of actinides(III) is acknowledged as an advanced strategy in Ln(III)/An(III) separation. In view of the recycling and radioactive waste disposal of the minor actinide, there remains an urgent need to design and develop the appropriate ligand for selective separation of An(III) from Ln(III). Herein, four novel hydrophilic ligands with hard-soft hybrid donors, derived from the pyridine and phenanthroline skeletons, were designed and synthesized as masking agents for selective complexation of An(III) in the aqueous phase. The known N,N,N',N'-tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA) was used as lipophilic extractant in the organic phase for extraction of Ln(III), and a new strategy for the competitive extraction of An(III) and Ln(III) was developed based on TODGA and the above hydrophilic ligands. The optimal hydrophilic ligand of N,N'-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-2,9-dicarboxamide-1,10-phenanthroline (2OH-DAPhen) displayed exceptional selectivity toward Am(III) over Ln(III), with the concentrations of HNO3 ranging from 0.05 to 3.0 M. The maximum separation factors were up to 1365 for Eu/Am, 417.66 for Eu/Cm, and 42.38 for La/Am. The coordination mode and bonding property of 2OH-DAPhen with Ln(III) were investigated by 1H NMR titration, UV-vis spectrophotometric titration, luminescence titration, FT-IR, ESI-HRMS analysis, and DFT calculations. The results revealed that the predominant species formed in the aqueous phase was a 1:1 ligand/metal complex. DFT calculations also confirmed that the affinity of 2OH-DAPhen for Am(III) was better than that for Eu(III). The present work using a competitive extraction strategy developed a feasible alternative method for the selective separation of trivalent actinides from lanthanides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Wu
- Radiochemistry Laboratory, School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
| | - Huaixin Hao
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Laboratory of Nuclear Energy Chemistry, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Lei-Tao Sha
- Radiochemistry Laboratory, School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
| | - Wei-Jia Wang
- Radiochemistry Laboratory, School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
| | - Wei-Qun Shi
- Laboratory of Nuclear Energy Chemistry, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Zhipeng Wang
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Ze-Yi Yan
- Radiochemistry Laboratory, School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
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9
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Tian D, Liu Y, Kang Y, Zhao Y, Li P, Xu C, Wang L. A Simple yet Efficient Hydrophilic Phenanthroline-Based Ligand for Selective Am(III) Separation under High Acidity. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:1642-1649. [PMID: 37637748 PMCID: PMC10451031 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c00504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Highly selective hydrophilic ligands were believed to be an efficient way to overcome the massive amount of hazardous organic solvent used in the liquid-liquid extraction process and stood as a new frontier in the Lns(III)/Ans(III) partition. Current reported hydrophilic ligands suffer from harsh preparation conditions, inferior extraction performances, limited available chemical structures, and inability to carry out extraction under high acidity. In this article, we report a simple yet efficient carboxylic group modified phenanthroline-diimide ligand which displayed unexpected Lns(III)/Ans(III) and Ans(III)/Ans(III) separation capabilities in 1.5 M HNO3. Unique dimeric architectures for Eu(III) complexes were observed, which could be the origin of the outperforming selectivity and acid resistance. We believe this crystal engineering approach could inspire a renaissance in searching for new functional groups and coordination modes for efficient, high-acid-tolerance Lns(III)/Ans(III) separation ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deshun Tian
- Department
of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, People’s Republic
of China
- Institute
of Materials for Optoelectronics and New Energy, Hubei Key Laboratory
of Plasma Chemistry and Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science
and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430205, People’s
Republic of China
| | - Yaoyang Liu
- Institute
of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua
University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yu Kang
- Department
of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Department
of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, People’s Republic
of China
- CAS
Key Laboratory of Green Process and Engineering, State Key Laboratory
of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of
Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Haidian District, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic
of China
| | - Pengcheng Li
- Institute
of Materials for Optoelectronics and New Energy, Hubei Key Laboratory
of Plasma Chemistry and Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science
and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430205, People’s
Republic of China
| | - Chao Xu
- Institute
of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua
University, Haidian District, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China
| | - Li Wang
- Department
of Chemistry, Capital Normal University, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, People’s Republic
of China
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10
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Nyman M, Deblonde G. Metal-oxide cages open up strategy for processing nuclear waste. Nature 2023; 616:438-440. [PMID: 37076733 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-023-01019-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
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11
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Zhang H, Li A, Li K, Wang Z, Xu X, Wang Y, Sheridan MV, Hu HS, Xu C, Alekseev EV, Zhang Z, Yan P, Cao K, Chai Z, Albrecht-Schönzart TE, Wang S. Ultrafiltration separation of Am(VI)-polyoxometalate from lanthanides. Nature 2023; 616:482-487. [PMID: 37076728 PMCID: PMC10115636 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05840-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Partitioning of americium from lanthanides (Ln) present in used nuclear fuel plays a key role in the sustainable development of nuclear energy1-3. This task is extremely challenging because thermodynamically stable Am(III) and Ln(III) ions have nearly identical ionic radii and coordination chemistry. Oxidization of Am(III) to Am(VI) produces AmO22+ ions distinct with Ln(III) ions, which has the potential to facilitate separations in principle. However, the rapid reduction of Am(VI) back to Am(III) by radiolysis products and organic reagents required for the traditional separation protocols including solvent and solid extractions hampers practical redox-based separations. Herein, we report a nanoscale polyoxometalate (POM) cluster with a vacancy site compatible with the selective coordination of hexavalent actinides (238U, 237Np, 242Pu and 243Am) over trivalent lanthanides in nitric acid media. To our knowledge, this cluster is the most stable Am(VI) species in aqueous media observed so far. Ultrafiltration-based separation of nanoscale Am(VI)-POM clusters from hydrated lanthanide ions by commercially available, fine-pored membranes enables the development of a once-through americium/lanthanide separation strategy that is highly efficient and rapid, does not involve any organic components and requires minimal energy input.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Ao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Kai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Zhipeng Wang
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaocheng Xu
- Department of Chemistry and Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics & Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yaxing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
| | - Matthew V Sheridan
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Han-Shi Hu
- Department of Chemistry and Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics & Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Xu
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
| | | | - Zhenyi Zhang
- Bruker (Beijing) Scientific Technology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Pu Yan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of High-resolution Electron Microscopy, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kecheng Cao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of High-resolution Electron Microscopy, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhifang Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Thomas E Albrecht-Schönzart
- Department of Chemistry and Nuclear Science & Engineering Center, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, USA.
| | - Shuao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X) and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
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12
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Lu JB, Jiang XL, Wang JQ, Hu HS, Schwarz WHE, Li J. On the highest oxidation states of the actinoids in AnO 4 molecules (An = Ac - Cm): A DMRG-CASSCF study. J Comput Chem 2023; 44:190-198. [PMID: 35420170 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.26856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Actinoid tetroxide molecules AnO4 (An = Ac - Cm) are investigated with the ab initio density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) approach. Natural orbital shapes are used to read out the oxidation state (OS) of the f-elements, and the atomic orbital energies and radii are used to explain the trends. The highest OSs reveal a "volcano"-type variation: For An = Ac - Np, the OSs are equal to the number of available valence electrons, that is, AcIII , ThIV , PaV , UVI , and NpVII . Starting with plutonium as the turning point, the highest OSs in the most stable AnO4 isomers then decrease as PuV , AmV , and CmIII , indicating that the 5f-electrons are hard to be fully oxidized off from Pu onward. The variations are related to the actinoid contraction and to the 5f-covalency characteristics. Combined with previous work on OSs, we review their general trends throughout the periodic table, providing fundamental understanding of OS-relevant phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Bo Lu
- Departmentof Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen.,Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing
| | - Xue-Lian Jiang
- Departmentof Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen
| | - Jia-Qi Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing
| | - Han-Shi Hu
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing
| | - W H Eugen Schwarz
- Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing.,Theoretische Chemie, Fachbereich Chemie und Biologie, Universität Siegen, Siegen, Germany
| | - Jun Li
- Departmentof Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen.,Department of Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering, Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing
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13
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Ion sieving in graphene oxide membrane enables efficient actinides/lanthanides separation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:261. [PMID: 36650148 PMCID: PMC9845371 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35942-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Separation of actinides from lanthanides is of great importance for the safe management of nuclear waste and sustainable development of nuclear energy, but it represents a huge challenge due to the chemical complexity of these f-elements. Herein, we report an efficient separation strategy based on ion sieving in graphene oxide membrane. In the presence of a strong oxidizing reagent, the actinides (U, Np, Pu, Am) in a nitric acid solution exist in the high valent and linear dioxo form of actinyl ions while the lanthanides (Ce, Nd, Eu, Gd, etc.) remain as trivalent/tetravalent spheric ions. A task-specific graphene oxide membrane with an interlayer nanochannel spacing between the sizes of hydrated actinyl ions and lanthanides ions is tailored and used as an ionic cut-off filter, which blocks the larger and linear actinyl ions but allows the smaller and spheric lanthanides ions to penetrate through, affording lanthanides/actinides separation factors up to ~400. This work realizes the group separation of actinides from lanthanides under highly acidic conditions by a simple ion sieving strategy and highlights the great potential of utilizing graphene oxide membrane for nuclear waste treatment.
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14
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Dong X, Yan Q, Wang Z, Feng X, Chen J, Xu C. Group Separation of Hexavalent Actinides from Lanthanides through Selective Extraction by Sterically Hindered 2-Ethylhexyl Phosphonic Acid Mono-2-ethylhexyl Ester. Ind Eng Chem Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.2c03337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xue Dong
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Yan
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Zhipeng Wang
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Xiaogui Feng
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Jing Chen
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Chao Xu
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
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15
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Weßling P, Maag M, Baruth G, Sittel T, Sauerwein FS, Wilden A, Modolo G, Geist A, Panak PJ. Complexation and Extraction Studies of Trivalent Actinides and Lanthanides with Water-Soluble and CHON-Compatible Ligands for the Selective Extraction of Americium. Inorg Chem 2022; 61:17719-17729. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c02871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Patrik Weßling
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE), P.O. Box 3640, 76021Karlsruhe, Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 234, 69120Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Melina Maag
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 234, 69120Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Giana Baruth
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE), P.O. Box 3640, 76021Karlsruhe, Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 234, 69120Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Sittel
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE), P.O. Box 3640, 76021Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Fynn S. Sauerwein
- Institut für Energie und Klimaforschung − Nukleare Entsorgung (IEK-6), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52428Jülich, Germany
| | - Andreas Wilden
- Institut für Energie und Klimaforschung − Nukleare Entsorgung (IEK-6), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52428Jülich, Germany
| | - Giuseppe Modolo
- Institut für Energie und Klimaforschung − Nukleare Entsorgung (IEK-6), Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, 52428Jülich, Germany
| | - Andreas Geist
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE), P.O. Box 3640, 76021Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Petra J. Panak
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE), P.O. Box 3640, 76021Karlsruhe, Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 234, 69120Heidelberg, Germany
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16
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Jiang H, Liu Z, He L, Chai Z, Wang D. The Speciation of Americium Cations in Neat Water Implicated from DFT Studies. Inorg Chem 2022; 61:13858-13867. [PMID: 35984920 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c01805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The recent observed manipulatable redox potential of trivalent americium ion in the aqueous phase by modifying an electrode offers an alternative to accomplish the separation. In order to understand extensively the speciation of Am, which is the prerequisite to understanding the mechanism of the oxidation of Am, we conducted a density functional study to identify the potential species of Am in its tri-, tetra-, and pentavalent states in aqueous phase. Based on the speciation analysis, the calculations implicate a stepwise mechanism for the oxidation of hydrated Am(III), which predominantly exists in its hydrated monatomic cationic form (Am3+(aq)). The two sequential one-electron oxidation processes first produce AmO2+(aq), which may establish an equilibrium with Am4+(aq), and the AmO2+(aq) may then evolve to the dioxo americyl(V) ion. These results suggest the copresence of Am4+(aq) and AmO2+(aq), which builds a bridge for the conversion of americium ion from a monatomic ion to dioxo americyl(V).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Jiang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Ziyi Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Lei He
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Zhifang Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection, and School for Radiological and Interdisciplinary Sciences (RAD-X), Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.,Multidisciplinary Initiative Center, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dongqi Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
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17
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Rice NT, Dalodière E, Adelman SL, Jones ZR, Kozimor SA, Mocko V, Root HD, Stein BW. Oxidizing Americium(III) with Sodium Bismuthate in Acidic Aqueous Solutions. Inorg Chem 2022; 61:12948-12953. [PMID: 35939562 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c01596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Historic perspectives describing f-elements as being redox "inactive" are fading. Researchers continue to discover new oxidation states that are not as inaccessible as once assumed for actinides and lanthanides. Inspired by those contributions, we studied americium(III) oxidation in aqueous media under air using NaBiO3(s). We identified selective oxidation of Am3+(aq) to AmO22+(aq) or AmO21+(aq) could be achieved by changing the aqueous matrix identity. AmO22+(aq) formed in H3PO4(aq) (1 M) and AmO21+(aq) formed in dilute HCl(aq) (0.1 M). These americyl products were stable for weeks in solution. Also included is a method to recover 243Am from the americium and bismuth mixtures generated during these studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie T Rice
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Elodie Dalodière
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Sara L Adelman
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Zachary R Jones
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Stosh A Kozimor
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Veronika Mocko
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Harrison D Root
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
| | - Benjamin W Stein
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, United States
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18
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Wang Z, Dong X, Yan Q, Chen J, Xu C. Separation of Americium from Curium through Oxidation State Control with Record Efficiency. Anal Chem 2022; 94:7743-7746. [PMID: 35608454 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c01492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Separation of americium (Am) from curium (Cm) could greatly facilitate the development of advanced nuclear fuel cycles, help with accurate nuclear forensic analysis, and allow for more efficient recovery and utilization of the two strategic elements. In this work, an Am/Cm separation strategy based on the stabilization of pentavalent Am in a biphasic solvent extraction system using bismuthate as the oxidant and N,N,N',N'-tetraoctyl diglycolamide (TODGA) as the extractant was developed. The distinctive differences between Am(V) and Cm(III) in terms of both steric configuration and charge density afford record high Cm/Am separation factors (>104) through only one single contact in solvent extraction. This separation strategy possesses superior features including fast kinetics, long-time stability, no secondary solid radioactive waste generation, and applicability over a wide range of HNO3 acidities, making it promising for Am/Cm separation and analysis in a variety of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhipeng Wang
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Xue Dong
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Yan
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Jing Chen
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Chao Xu
- Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
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19
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Shafi Z, Gibson JK. Lanthanide Complexes Containing a Terminal Ln═O Oxo Bond: Revealing Higher Stability of Tetravalent Praseodymium versus Terbium. Inorg Chem 2022; 61:7075-7087. [PMID: 35476904 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c00525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We report on the reactivity of gas-phase lanthanide-oxide nitrate complexes, [Ln(O)(NO3)3]- (denoted LnO2+), produced via elimination of NO2• from trivalent [LnIII(NO3)4]- (Ln = Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Tb, Dy). These complexes feature a LnIII-O• oxyl, a LnIV═O oxo, or an intermediate LnIII/IV oxyl/oxo bond, depending on the accessibility of the tetravalent LnIV state. Hydrogen atom abstraction reactivity of the LnO2+ complexes to form unambiguously trivalent [LnIII(OH)(NO3)3]- reveals the nature of the oxide bond. The result of slower reactivity of PrO2+ versus TbO2+ is considered to indicate higher stability of the tetravalent praseodymium-oxo, PrIV═O, versus TbIV═O. This is the first report of PrIV as more stable than TbIV, which is discussed with respect to ionization potentials, standard electrode potentials, atomic promotion energies, and oxo bond covalency via 4f- and/or 5d-orbital participation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziad Shafi
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - John K Gibson
- Chemical Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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