Axially Symmetric U-O-Ln- and U-O-U-Containing Molecules from the Control of Uranyl Reduction with Simple f-Block Halides.

The reduction of U uranyl halides or amides with simple Ln or U salts forms highly symmetric, linear, oxo-bridged trinuclear U /Ln /U , Ln /U /Ln , and U /U /U complexes or linear Ln /U polymers depending on the stoichiometry and solvent. The reactions can be tuned to give the products of one- or two-electron uranyl reduction. The reactivity and magnetism of these compounds are discussed in the context of using a series of strongly oxo-coupled homo- and heterometallic poly(f-block) chains to better understand fundamental electronic structure in the f-block.