A Convergent Synthesis Approach to the Uranium-Carbon Triple Bond

无机，生物无机和有机化学计划的这一奖项支持麻省理工学院的克里斯托弗康明斯教授研究早期锕系元素与碳形成三键的能力。 铀和碳之间的三键尚未在实验上实现，但它具有用于炔复分解反应的潜力。所提出的传递铀-碳三键的方法集中在非传统的杂原子键活化反应上，这允许掺入13 C同位素标记，这将用于探测铀-碳三键的性质。这将使用实验CPMAS固态NMR方法进行，并通过量子化学计算辅助数据解释。该研究将与德国埃尔兰根大学的Karsten Meyer教授合作进行，将从结构、键合和机理方面对新反应进行表征，并尝试将新反应应用于化学合成。 铀化学与核能有关的问题有关。通过培训这一领域的学生，他们将获得国际研究经验，该项目将有助于提高我国在锕系元素科学方面的能力。随着核能成为一种更受欢迎的清洁能源，贫铀的供应应会越来越多;贫铀的生产性用途是一项重大的潜在社会效益。

This award in the Inorganic, Bioinorganic and Organometallic Chemistry program supports research by Professor Christopher Cummins at MIT to study the ability of the early actinide elements to engage in triple bonding to carbon. The triple bond between uranium and carbon has not yet been realized experimentally, but it has potential for the alkyne metathesis reaction. The proposed methods for delivering the uranium-carbon triple bond center on non-traditional, heterobimetallic bond-activation reactions, which allow for incorporation of a 13C isotopic label, which will be used to probe the nature of the uranium-carbon triple bond. This will be done using experimental CPMAS solid-state NMR methods, with data interpretation aided by quantum chemical calculations. The new reactions will be characterized in terms of structure, bonding, and mechanism with attempts to apply the new reactions in chemical synthesis.The research will be performed in collaboration with Prof. Karsten Meyer at the University of Erlangen in Germany. Uranium chemistry is relevant to the problems associated with nuclear energy. By training students in this area, who will receive an international research experience, the project will contribute to our national competency in actinide science. Depleted uranium should become increasingly available as nuclear becomes a more popular source of clean energy; productive uses for depleted uranium represent a major potential societal benefit.