The diuranium(III) compound [UN'' 2 ] 2 (m-h 6 :h 6 -C 6 H 6 )( N '' = N(SiMe 3 ) 2 )h as been studied using variable, high-pressure single-crystal X-ray crystallography,and density functional theory .Inthis compound, the low-coordinate metal cations are coupled through p-and d-symmetric arene overlap and show close metalÀCH contacts with the flexible methyl CH groups of the sterically encumbered amido ligands.The metalmetal separation decreases with increasing pressure,b ut the most significant structural changes are to the close contacts between ligand CH bonds and the Ucenters.A lthough the interatomic distances are suggestive of agostic-type interactions between the Ua nd ligand peripheral CH groups,Q TAIM (quantum theory of atoms-in-molecules) computational analysis suggests that there is no such interaction at ambient pressure.H owever,Q TAIM and NBO analyses indicate that the interaction becomes agostic at 3.2 GPa.Simple,low-coordinate U III complexes have been recently reported to show arich reactivity with inert small molecules. [1] This reactivity is despite the fact that in the solid state, structural studies show close contacts between the metal and peripheral ligand Cand Hatoms that sometimes protect ap otential coordination site and sometimes simply block further reactions.F or example,h ydrocarbon solutions of [U(N'') 3 ](N'' = N(SiMe 3 ) 2 ) [2] (containing three UÀC SiMe3 close contacts,a verage distance = 3.047 ) reductively couple CO, [3] whereas those of [U{N(SiMe 2 Ph) 2 } 3 ]( containing three U À C ipsoPh close contacts,average distance = 3.093 ) [4] do not.Arguably the most useful homogeneous CÀHb ond functionalization reactions currently being developed for dblock metal catalysts rely on CH metallation of ab ound substrate. [5] Similarly,U complexes that show CH metallation [6] have been developed into catalysts for N-heterocycle coupling,f or example. [7] TheU III aryloxide [{(ArO) 3 tacn}U-(cC 6 H 12 )] (tacn = 1,4,7-triazacyclonane) shows an intermolecular CÀHc ontact to am olecule of cyclohexane solvent with aU À Cd istance of 3.864 (7) a nd an h 2 -CH interaction suggested by calculations. [8] More generally,a gostic interactions between uranium centers and ligand CH groups are often invoked from inspection of close metal-ligand contacts in X-ray structures. [9] No routine method exists for assessing the strength and influence of weak interactions to confirm ag enuine agostic interaction in paramagnets,w here traditional NMR spectral methods do not work [10] and neutron diffraction studies are not readily available. [11] Computationally,t he electron-density-basedq uantum theory of atoms-inmolecules (QTAIM), with its simple definition of achemical bond, has been successfully employed to identify agostic interactions. [12] Systems in which energetically competitive structures are related by subtle changes,such as agostic interactions,may be sensitive to external conditions such as pressure.H igh pressure has previously shown unconventional behavior in coordination compounds...