As[triple bond]UF3 molecule with a weak triple bond to uranium.

After reactions of uranium atoms with NF(3) and PF(3) to form the N[triple bond]UF(3) and P[triple bond]UF(3) molecules, the analogous reaction with AsF(3) produced the novel terminal arsenide As[triple bond]UF(3). This first molecule with a uranium-arsenic bond was identified from matrix infrared spectra through comparison with spectra of the uranium nitride and phosphide species, with spectra using other metals, and with frequencies computed by density functional and multiconfigurational wave function methods. The latter calculation describes a weak triple bond to uranium in the As[triple bond]UF(3) molecule, which has slightly less bonding and more antibonding character than the weak triple bond in P[triple bond]UF(3).