The conproportionation reaction between the dimeric diimidouranium(V) species [U(N
tBu)
2(I)(
tBu
2bpy)]
2 (
tBu
2bpy = 4,4鈥?di-
tert-butyl-2,2鈥?bipyridyl) and UI
3(THF)
4 in the presence of additional
tBu
2bpy yields U(N
tBu)(I)
2(
tBu
2bpy)(THF)
2 (
2), an unprecedented example of a monoimidouranium(IV) dihalide complex. The general synthesis of this family of uranium(IV) derivatives can be achieved more readily by adding 2 equiv of MN(H)R (M = Li, K; R =
tBu, 2,6-
iPrC
6H
3, 2-
tBuC
6H
4) to UX
4 in the presence of coordinating Lewis bases to give complexes with the general formula U(NR)(X)
2(L)
n (X = Cl, I; L =
tBu
2bpy,
n = 1; L = THF,
n = 2). The complexes were characterized by
1H NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of compounds
2 and {U[N(2,6-
iPrC
6H
3)](Cl)
2(THF)
2}
2 (
4). (The X-ray structures of
5 and
6 are reported in the
Supporting Information.)