Migratory insertion of benzonitrile into both An−C bonds of the bis(alkyl) and bis(aryl)
complexes (C5Me5)2AnR2 yields the actinide ketimido complexes (C5Me5)2An[−NC(Ph)(R)]2
(where An = Th, R = Ph, CH2Ph, CH3; An = U, R = CH2Ph, CH3) and provides a versatile
method for the construction of electronically and sterically diverse ketimide ligands. The
Th(IV) compounds represent the first examples of thorium ketimide complexes. The uranium
complexes are surprisingly unreactive, and both the uranium and thorium bis(ketimido)
complexes display unusual electronic structure properties. The combined chemical and
physical properties of these complexes suggest a higher An−N bond order due to significant
ligand-to-metal π-bonding in the actinide ketimido interactions and indicate that the
f-electrons in mid-valent organouranium complexes might be far more involved in chemical
bonding and reactivity than previously thought. We also report herein the structures of the
known thorium and uranium complexes (C5Me5)2Th(CH2Ph)2, (C5Me5)2ThMe2, (C5Me5)2U(CH2Ph)2, and (C5Me5)2UMe2.