Synthesis and solid state characterization of actinide cyanometallates and actinide benzimidazole compounds

Abstract

The square-planar cyanometallate anions allow for the unique columnar structural feature in the solid state, termed in the literature as pseudo 1-D M…M interactions in the Pt analogs. The distance between metal sites has been coined, R, and can be tuned by many physical and chemical processes. While the akali and alkaline earth metal tetracyanoplatinates have been known for two centuries, few compounds have been reported in the actinide square planar cyanometallate class of compounds, Anx[M(CN)4]y. Utilizing this structural feature provides a new means for probing the chemistry of the 5f elements. Described here is the synthesis, emission spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, computation analysis, and structural characterization using small molecule X-ray single crystal diffraction of the recently reported actinide cyanometallates, general formula Anx[M(CN)4]y.