Comparison of the reactivity of 2-Li-C6H4CH2NMe2 with MCl4 (M=Th, U): isolation of a thorium aryl complex or a uranium benzyne complex.
Why do U react like that? Reaction of 2-Li-C6H4CH2NMe2 with [MCl4(DME)n] (M=Th, n=2; M=U, n=0) results in the formation of a thorium aryl complex, [Th(2-C6H4CH2NMe2)4] or a uranium benzyne complex, [Li][U(2,3-C6H3CH2NMe2)(2-C6H4CH2NMe2)3]. A DFT analysis suggests that the formation of a benzyne complex with U but not with Th is a kinetic and not thermodynamic effect.
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 (USA).
Lani A
LA
Seaman
Elizabeth A
EA
Pedrick
Takashi
T
Tsuchiya
Guang
G
Wu
Elena
E
Jakubikova
Trevor W
TW
Hayton
aryl; benzyne; bonding analysis; thorium; uranium