Reduction of Pentavalent Uranyl to U(IV) Facilitated by Oxo Functionalization

摘要

The reduction of uranyl (UO_2~(2+)) to U(IV) has relevance to speciation of uranium in the environment and geological storage of spent nuclear fuel. This transformation is thought to proceed stepwise through UO_2~+, a moiety that has received increased attention in recent years. While reduction of UO_2~(2+) to UO_2~+ is now well-established, the reduction of UO_2~+ to U(IV) is still poorly understood, in part because reduction to U(IV) is not possible without substantial rearrangement of the uranyl moiety or cleavage of the U-O(oxo) bond.