Siloxides can support U! …︁in the reduction of small molecules with uranium complexes. The treatment of [U{N(SiMe3)2}3] with HOSi(OtBu)3 (3 equiv) yielded a novel homoleptic uranium(III) siloxide complex 1, which acted as a two‐electron reducing agent toward CS2 and CO2 (see scheme). Complex 1 also reduced toluene to afford a diuranium inverted‐sandwich complex.

While β-diketiminate (BDI or 'nacnac') ligands have been widely adopted to stabilize a wide range of metal ions in multiple oxidation states and coordination numbers, in several occurrences these ligands do not behave as spectators and participate in reactivity. Besides unwanted decomposition processes, BDI redox non-innnocence and unusual metal-ligand cooperative activation of substrates yielding attractive reactivity have been reported. This feature article will provide a comprehensive analysis of the various transformations involving BDI ligand platforms in coordination compounds across the periodic table.

The new homoleptic ate U(III) siloxide [K(18c6)][U(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)4] 2 was prepared in 69% yield by reduction of [U(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)4] 3 with KC8. The reaction of the neutral U(III) siloxide complex [U(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)2(μ-OSi(O(t)Bu)3)]2 1 with adamantyl azide leads to the isolation of the dinuclear U(VI) imido complex [U2(NAd)4(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)4] 4. The X-ray crystal structure shows the presence of a "cation-cation interaction" between the two [U(NAd)2](2+) groups. In contrast the reactions of 2 with the trimethylsilyl and adamantyl azides afford the U(V) imido complexes [K(18c6)][U(NSiMe3)(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)4] 5-TMS and [K(18c6)][U(NAd)(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)4] 5-Ad pure in 48% and 66% yield, respectively. The reaction of 2 with CsN3 in THF at -40 °C yields a mixture of products from which the azido U(IV) complex [K(18c6)][U(N3)(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)4] 7 and the μ-nitrido diuranium(V) complex [KU(μ-N)(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)]2 8 were isolated. The crystal structure of 8 shows the presence of a rare U2N2 core with two nitrido atoms bridging two uranium centers in a diamond-shaped geometry. In contrast, the reaction of 1 with CsN3 affords the diuranium(IV) complex Cs{(μ-N)[U(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)3]2} 9 presenting a nitrido ligand bridging two uranium and one cesium cations. These results show the importance of the coordination environment in the outcome of the reaction of U(III) with azides.

New tris-amidinate actinide (Th, U) complexes containing a rare O-bound terminal phosphaethynolate (OCP–) ligand were synthesized and fully characterized.

A novel heterobimetallic tantalum/iridium hydrido complex, [{Ta(CH2 t Bu)3}{IrH2(Cp*)}] 1, featuring a very short metal-metal bond, has been isolated through an original alkane elimination route from Ta(CH t Bu)(CH2 t Bu)3 and Cp*IrH4. This molecular precursor has been used to synthesize well-defined silica-supported low-coordinate heterobimetallic hydrido species [≡SiOTa(CH2 t Bu)2{IrH2(Cp*)}] 5 and [≡SiOTa(CH2 t Bu)H{IrH2(Cp*)}] 6 using a surface organometallic chemistry approach (SOMC). The SOMC methodology prevents undesired dimerization as encountered in solution and leading to a tetranuclear species [{Ta(CH2 t Bu)2}(Cp*IrH)]2, 4. This approach therefore allows access to unique low-coordinate species not attainable in solution. These original supported Ta/Ir species exhibit drastically enhanced catalytic performances in H/D exchange reactions with respect to (i) monometallic analogues as well as (ii) homogeneous systems. In particular, material 6 promotes the H/D exchange between fluorobenzene and C6D6 or D2 as deuterium sources with excellent productivity (TON up to 1422; TOF up to 23.3 h-1) under mild conditions (25°C, subatmospheric D2 pressure) without any additives.

The metal-mediated redox transformation of CO2 in mild conditions is an area of great current interest. The role of cooperativity between a reduced metal center and a Lewis acid center in small-molecule activation is increasingly recognized, but has not so far been investigated for f-elements. Here we show that the presence of potassium at a U, K site supported by sterically demanding tris(tert-butoxy)siloxide ligands induces a large cooperative effect in the reduction of CO2. Specifically, the ion pair complex [K(18c6)][U(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)4], 1, promotes the selective reductive disproportionation of CO2 to yield CO and the mononuclear uranium(IV) carbonate complex [U(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)4(μ-κ(2):κ(1)-CO3)K2(18c6)], 4. In contrast, the heterobimetallic complex [U(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)4K], 2, promotes the potassium-assisted two-electron reductive cleavage of CO2, yielding CO and the U(V) terminal oxo complex [UO(OSi(O(t)Bu)3)4K], 3, thus providing a remarkable example of two-electron transfer in U(III) chemistry. DFT studies support the presence of a cooperative effect of the two metal centers in the transformation of CO2.

The iridium tetrahydride complex Cp*IrH4 reacts with a range of isobutylaluminum derivatives of general formula Al­(iBu) x (OAr)3–x (x = 1, 2) to give the unusual iridium aluminum species [Cp*IrH3Al­(iBu)­(OAr)] (1) via a reductive elimination route. The Lewis acidity of the Al atom in complex 1 is confirmed by the coordination of pyridine, leading to the adduct [Cp*IrH3Al­( i Bu)­(OAr)­(Py)] (2). Spectroscopic, crystallographic, and computational data support the description of these heterobimetallic complexes 1 and 2 as featuring strongly polarized Al­(III)δ+–Ir­(III)δ− interactions. Reactivity studies demonstrate that the binding of a Lewis base to Al does not quench the reactivity of the Ir–Al motif and that both species 1 and 2 promote the cooperative reductive cleavage of a range of heteroallenes. Specifically, complex 2 promotes the decarbonylation of CO2 and AdNCO, leading to CO (trapped as Cp*IrH2(CO)) and the alkylaluminum oxo ([(iBu)­(OAr)­Al­(Py)]2(μ-O) (3)) and ureate ({Al­(OAr)­( i Bu)­[κ2-(N,O)­AdNC­(O)­NHAd]} (4)) species, respectively. The bridged amidinate species Cp*IrH2(μ-CyNC­(H)­NCy)­Al­( i Bu)­(OAr) (5) is formed in the reaction of 2 with dicyclohexylcarbodiimine. Mechanistic investigations via DFT support cooperative heterobimetallic bond activation processes.

Two new arene inverted‐sandwich complexes of uranium supported by siloxide ancillary ligands [K{U(OSi(OtBu)3)3}2(μ‐η6:η6‐C7H8)] (3) and [K2{U(OSi(OtBu)3)3}2(μ‐η6:η6‐C7H8)] (4) were synthesized by the reduction of the parent arene‐bridged complex [{U(OSi(OtBu)3)3}2(μ‐η6:η6‐C7H8)] (2) with stoichiometric amounts of KC8 yielding a rare family of inverted‐sandwich complexes in three states of charge. The structural data and computational studies of the electronic structure are in agreement with the presence of high‐valent uranium centers bridged by a reduced tetra‐anionic toluene with the best formulation being UV–(arene4−)–UV, KUIV–(arene4−)–UV, and K2UIV–(arene4−)–UIV for complexes 2, 3, and 4 respectively. The potassium cations in complexes 3 and 4 are coordinated to the siloxide ligands both in the solid state and in solution. The addition of KOTf (OTf=triflate) to the neutral compound 2 promotes its disproportionation to yield complexes 3 and 4 (depending on the stoichiometry) and the UIV mononuclear complex [U(OSi(OtBu)3)3(OTf)(thf)2] (5). This unprecedented reactivity demonstrates the key role of potassium for the stability of these complexes.