title: Synthesis and small molecule reactivity of uranium(IV) alkoxide complexes with both bound and pendant N-heterocyclic carbene ligands.
abstract: The syntheses of two tetravalent uranium alkoxide-carbene complexes are reported, [UIL3], and [UL4] where L = OCMe2CH2[1-C(NCHCHNiPr)]. The latter shows dynamic behaviour of the alkoxycarbene ligands in solution at room temperature, and the crystal structure of [UL4] shows that one carbene group remains uncoordinated. The unbound N-heterocyclic carbene group is trapped by a range of reagents such as 16-valence-electron metal carbonyl fragments and BH3 moieties, forming, for example, [UL3(mu-L)W(CO)5], [UL2(mu-L)2Mo(CO)4], and [UL(n)(L-BH3)(4-n)] (n = 1-4), demonstrating the potential for these hemilabile electropositive metal-carbene complexes to participate in the bifunctional activation of small molecules.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK. polly.arnold@nottingham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Polly L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Blake
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wilson