Advancing understanding of actinide(iii) (Ac, Am, Cm) aqueous complexation chemistry

Zachary R. Jones, Maksim Y. Livshits, Frankie D. White, Elodie Dalodière, Maryline G. Ferrier, Laura M. Lilley, Karah E. Knope, Stosh A. Kozimor, Veronika Mocko, Brian L. Scott, Benjamin W. Stein, Jennifer N. Wacker, David H. Woen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

The positive impact of having access to well-defined starting materials for applied actinide technologies-and for technologies based on other elements-cannot be overstated. Of numerous relevant 5f-element starting materials, those in complexing aqueous media find widespread use. Consider acetic acid/acetate buffered solutions as an example. These solutions provide entry into diverse technologies, from small-scale production of actinide metal to preparing radiolabeled chelates for medical applications. However, like so many aqueous solutions that contain actinides and complexing agents, 5f-element speciation in acetic acid/acetate cocktails is poorly defined. Herein, we address this problem and characterize Ac3+ and Cm3+ speciation as a function of increasing acetic acid/acetate concentrations (0.1 to 15 M, pH = 5.5). Results obtained via X-ray absorption and optical spectroscopy show the aquo ion dominated in dilute acetic acid/acetate solutions (0.1 M). Increasing acetic acid/acetate concentrations to 15 M increased complexation and revealed divergent reactivity between early and late actinides. A neutral Ac(H2O)6(1)(O2CMe)3(1) compound was the major species in solution for the large Ac3+. In contrast, smaller Cm3+ preferred forming an anion. There were approximately four bound O2CMe1- ligands and one to two inner sphere H2O ligands. The conclusion that increasing acetic acid/acetate concentrations increased acetate complexation was corroborated by characterizing (NH4)2M(O2CMe)5 (M = Eu3+, Am3+ and Cm3+) using single crystal X-ray diffraction and optical spectroscopy (absorption, emission, excitation, and excited state lifetime measurements).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5638-5654
Number of pages17
JournalChemical Science
Volume12
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 21 2021
Externally publishedYes

Funding

We thank the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Heavy Element Chemistry program (2020LANLE372) and LANL's LDRD-DR (20180005DR and 20190364ER). KEK is supported by Tthe U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Early Career Research Program under Award DE-SC0019190. Postdoctoral support was provided in-part by the Glenn T. Seaborg Institute (Jones, Ferrier, Lilley). The DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research Fellowship (SCGSR) Program supported Wacker. LANL is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer managed by Triad National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. DOE. Use of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, was supported by the U.S. DOE, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Contract No. DE-AC02-76SF00515.

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