Observations on the thermal decomposition of some uranium(IV) tetraalkyls

Tobin J. Marks*, Afif M. Seyam

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

52 Scopus citations

Abstract

The thermally unstable products of the reactions 4 RLi + UCl4 (R = various alkyl groups), presumed to be uranium tetraalkyls, decompose readily at room temperature in ethereal or hydrocarbon solvents. When R contains a β-hydrogen, comparable quantities of alkane (RH) and alkene (RH-H2) are produced along with trace amounts of the dimer, RR. This result indicates that uranium alkyl compounds readily decompose via β-hydrogen elimination under the appropriate circumstances (coordinative unsaturation). When a β-hydrogen is not present, the alkane, RH, is the major product. That stereochemistry is retained at the α-carbon atom of the 2-cis- and 2-trans-2-butenyl compounds suggests that 2-butenes are not formed from free R- radicals.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)61-66
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Organometallic Chemistry
Volume67
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 1974

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biochemistry
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry
  • Materials Chemistry

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