title: Evidence for alkane coordination to an electron-rich uranium center.
abstract: A series of five uranium-alkane complexes of the general formula [(ArO)3tacn)U(alkane)].(cy-alkane) has been synthesized and crystallographically characterized. In all cases, X-ray diffraction studies revealed a pseudo-six-coordinate trivalent uranium core structure, [(ArO)3tacn)U], with a coordinated alkane ligand at the axial position. The average U-C bond distance to the bound alkane was determined to be 3.798 A, which is considerably shorter than the sum of the van der Waals radii of the U atom and a CH2 or CH3 unit (3.9 A). In all complexes, the alkane is coordinated in an eta2-H,C fashion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0358, La Jolla, California 92093-0358, USA.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Castro-Rodriguez
authors.forename: Hidetaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakai
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gantzel
authors.forename: Lev N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Zakharov
authors.forename: Arnold L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rheingold
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meyer