Research Articles

The complex chemistry of uranyl nitrate with mono and bi-functional neutral extractants shows, that it forms 1:2 and 1:1 complexes respectively. The structures of the isolated complexes show, that the water molecules from the primary coordination sphere of [UO2(NO3)2.2H2O] are replaced by the extractants completely and adopt a hexagonal bi-pyramidal geometry. However, the structural chemistry of uranyl nitrate with the tri-functional extractants show, that one of the nitrates acts as a monodentate ligand to maintain the hexagonal bi-pyramidal geometry. The complex chemistry of uranyl bis(β-diketonates) with the neutral monodentate extractants shows that the water molecule from the primary sphere of [UO2(β-diketonate)2.H2O] is replaced by the ligands, to form a pentagonal bi-pyramidal geometry around uranyl group. However, the structural chemistry of bi-functional neutral extractants with uranyl bis(β-diketonats) shows either mono or bi-nuclear uranyl complexes depending upon the stoichiometry of the uranyl ion used.