Preparation and Characterization of Potassium, Rubidium and Ammonium Tetrachlorouranate(III) Trihydrates.

The synthesis and characterization of a new series of hydrated uranium(III) complex chlorides of the general formula M1UCl4-3H2O (M1K, Rb or NH4) are reported. The compounds crystallize in the monoclinic system. Unit cell parameters were determined from X-ray powder diffraction data. The magnetic susceptibilities of the complex chlorides were measured by the Faraday method in the 4.2–300 K range. The compounds exhibit Curie-Weiss paramagnetism in the 100–300 K range, with the derived effective magnetic moments ranging from 3.57μB to 3.71μB. Solid state electronic and IR spectra were recorded in the 4000–30 000 and 80–4000 cm−1 ranges, respectively and discussed. Non-static high vacuum thermal dehydrations enabled us to obtain the anhydrous compounds KUCl4, RbUCl4 and UCl3.