Stéphane Grandjean

Crystal growth and first crystallographic characterization of mixed uranium(IV)-plutonium(III) oxalates.

The mixed-actinide uranium(IV)-plutonium(III) oxalate single crystals (NH4)0.5[Pu(III)0.5U(IV)0.5(C2O4)2·H2O]·nH2O (1) and (NH4)2.7Pu(III)0.7U(IV)1.3(C2O4)5·nH2O (2) have been prepared by the diffusion of different ions through membranes separating compartments of a triple cell. UV-vis, Raman, and thermal ionization mass spectrometry analyses demonstrate the presence of both uranium and plutonium metal cations with conservation of the initial oxidation state, U(IV) and Pu(III), and the formation of mixed-valence, mixed-actinide oxalate compounds. The structure of 1 and an average structure of 2 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and were solved by direct methods and Fourier difference techniques. Compounds 1 and 2 are the first mixed uranium(IV)-plutonium(III) compounds to be structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure of 1, space group P4/n, a = 8.8558(3) Å, b = 7.8963(2) Å, Z = 2, consists of layers formed by four-membered rings of the two actinide metals occupying the same crystallographic site connected through oxalate ions. The actinide atoms are nine-coordinated by oxygen atoms from four bidentate oxalate ligands and one water molecule, which alternates up and down the layer. The single-charged cations and nonbonded water molecules are disordered in the same crystallographic site. For compound 2, an average structure has been determined in space group P6/mmm with a = 11.158(2) Å and c = 6.400(1) Å. The honeycomb-like framework [Pu(III)0.7U(IV)1.3(C2O4)5](2.7-) results from a three-dimensional arrangement of mixed (U0.65Pu0.35)O10 polyhedra connected by five bis-bidentate μ(2)-oxalate ions in a trigonal-bipyramidal configuration.

Neodymium uranyl peroxide synthesis by ion exchange on ammonium uranyl peroxide nanoclusters

This study demonstrates the ability of ammonium uranyl peroxide nanoclusters U32R-NH4 to undergo exchange in between NH4(+) and trivalent (Nd(3+)) or tetravalent (Th(4+)) cations in the solid state. It paves the way for new promising routes for the synthesis of mixed uranyl peroxides. The exchange ability may also be considered for solution decontamination and synthesis of new mixed actinide-oxide precursors. Both of these applications could be used in the nuclear industry.

Coordination Modes of Americium in the Am2(C2O4)3(H2O)6·4H2O Oxalate: Synthesis, Crystal Structure, Spectroscopic Characterizations and Comparison in the M2(C2O4)3(H2O)6·nH2O (M = Ln, An) Series

Americium oxalate single crystals, Am2(C2O4)3(H2O)6·4H2O, were prepared by in situ oxalic acid generation by slow hydrolysis of the diester. Their structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and was solved by the direct methods and Fourier difference techniques. The structure (space group P21/c, a = 11.184(4) Å, b = 9.489(4) Å, c = 10.234(4) Å, β = 114.308(8)°, Z = 2) consists of layers formed by six-membered rings of actinide metals connected through oxalate ions. The americium atoms are nine-coordinated by six oxygen atoms from three bidentate oxalate ligands and three water molecules. The distances within the coordination sphere as well as infrared and Raman spectra of several isostructural lanthanide (Ce(III), Pr(III), Nd(III), Sm(III), Gd(III)) and actinide (Pu(III), Am(III)) oxalates were compared to evaluate the similarities and the differences between the two series.

Hydrazinium lanthanide oxalates: synthesis, structure and thermal reactivity of N2H5[Ln2(C2O4)4(N2H5)]·4H2O, Ln = Ce, Nd.

New hydrazinium lanthanide oxalates N2H5[Ln2(C2O4)4(N2H5)]·4H2O, Ln = Ce (Ce-HyOx) and Nd (Nd-HyOx), were synthesized by hydrothermal reaction at 150 °C between lanthanide nitrate, oxalic acid and hydrazine solutions. The structure of the Nd compound was determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, space group P2₁/c with a = 16.315(4), b = 12.127(3), c = 11.430(2) Å, β = 116.638(4)°, V = 2021.4(7) Å(3), Z = 4, and R1 = 0.0313 for 4231 independent reflections. Two distinct neodymium polyhedra are formed, NdO9 and NdO8N, an oxygen of one monodentate oxalate in the former being replaced by a nitrogen atom of a coordinated hydrazinium ion in the latter. The infrared absorption band at 1005 cm(-1) confirms the coordination of N2H5(+) to the metal. These polyhedra are connected through μ2 and μ3 oxalate ions to form an anionic three-dimensional neodymium-oxalate arrangement. A non-coordinated charge-compensating hydrazinium ion occupies, with water molecules, the resulting tunnels. The N-N stretching frequencies of the infrared spectra demonstrate the existence of the two types of hydrazine ions. Thermal reactivity of these hydrazinium oxalates and of the mixed isotypic Ce/Nd (CeNd-HyOx) oxalate were studied by using thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses coupled with gas analyzers, and high temperature X-ray diffraction. Under air, fine particles of CeO2 and Ce(0.5)Nd(0.5)O(1.75) are formed at low temperature from Ce-HyOx and CeNd-HyOx, respectively, thanks to a decomposition/oxidation process. Under argon flow, dioxymonocyanamides Ln2O2CN2 are formed.