The synthesis and characterization of mixed fluoroaryloxides of uranium(V)

Uranium pentafluoride reacts with the alkali metal salts of a variety of hindered aryloxides, producing mixed compounds. These mixed fluoroaryloxide compounds may provide a synthetic tool for the isolation of further monomeric uranium compounds, due to the steric bulk of the aryloxy ligands, and the reactivity of the fluoride ligands. Despite the numerous possibilities, they have not received much attention to date. These mixed uranium(V) fluoro-aryloxides of the general formulas UF{sub x}(OAr){sub 5{minus}x} (where OAr = pentafluorophenoxide, 2,6-diisopropylphenoxide, or 2,6-di-t-butylphenoxide) and MUF{sub x}(OAr){sub 6{minus}x} (where M = Li, Na, or K) will be discussed, including their synthesis, and characterization by multinuclear NMR and x-ray diffraction.