Multi-electron reduction from alkyl/hydride ligand combinations in U4+ complexes.

The U4+ mixed alkyl hydride complex (C5Me5)U[mu-C5Me3(CH2)2](mu-H)2U(C5Me5)2, 1, which contains a cyclopentadienyl ligand with two metalated methylene substituents, can effect four, six, and eight-electron reductions in which the combination of the two H1- ligands and the [C5Me3(CH2)2]3- moiety delivers four electrons and forms (C5Me5)1-. The reaction is formally equivalent to an alkyl hydride reductive elimination, a transformation common with transition metals not previously observed with f element compounds. This type of alkyl hydride reduction reactivity is also observed with a combination of U4+ alkyl and hydride complexes, (C5Me5)2UMe2/[(C5Me5)2UH2]2, which reduces benzene to make [(C5Me5)2U]2(C6H6), a U3+ complex formally containing a (C6H6)2- ligand.