Uranyl Speciation in the Presence of Specific Ion Gradients at the Electrolyte/Organic Interface

<p>Uranyl (UO2+ 2 ) speciation at the liquid/liquid interface is an essential aspect of the mech?anism that underlies its extraction as part of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing schemes and environmental remediation of contaminated legacy waste sites. Of particular importance is a detailed perspective of how changing ion concentrations at the liquid interface alter the distribu?tion of hydrated uranyl ion and its interactions with complexing electrolyte counterions relative to the bulk aqueous solution. In this work, classical molecular dynamics simulations have ex?amined uranyl in bulk LiNO3(aq) and in the presence of a hexane interface. UO2+ 2 is observed to have both direct coordination with NO− 3 and outer-sphere interactions via solvent-separated ion-pairing (SSIP), whereas the interaction of Li+ with NO− 3 (if it occurs) is predominantly as a contact ion-pair (CIP). The variability of uranyl interactions with nitrate is hypothesized to prevent dehydration of uranyl at the interface, and as such the cation concentration is un?perturbed in the interfacial region. However, Li+ loses waters of solvation when it is present in the interfacial region, an unfavorable process that causes a Li+ depletion region. Although significant perturbations to ion-ion interactions, solvation, and solvation dynamics are observed in the interfacial region, importantly, this does not change the association constants of uranyl with nitrate. Thus, the experimental association constants, in combination with knowledge of the interfacial ion concentrations, can be used to predict the distribution of interfacial uranyl nitrate complexes. The enhanced concentration of uranyl dinitrate at the interface, caused by excess adsorbed NO− 3 , is highly relevant to extractant ligand design principles as such nitrate complexes are the reactants in ligand complexation and extraction events. </p>

Uranyl Speciation in the Presence of Specific Ion Gradients at the Electrolyte/Organic Interface

<p>Uranyl (UO2+ 2 ) speciation at the liquid/liquid interface is an essential aspect of the mech?anism that underlies its extraction as part of spent nuclear fuel reprocessing schemes and environmental remediation of contaminated legacy waste sites. Of particular importance is a detailed perspective of how changing ion concentrations at the liquid interface alter the distribu?tion of hydrated uranyl ion and its interactions with complexing electrolyte counterions relative to the bulk aqueous solution. In this work, classical molecular dynamics simulations have ex?amined uranyl in bulk LiNO3(aq) and in the presence of a hexane interface. UO2+ 2 is observed to have both direct coordination with NO− 3 and outer-sphere interactions via solvent-separated ion-pairing (SSIP), whereas the interaction of Li+ with NO− 3 (if it occurs) is predominantly as a contact ion-pair (CIP). The variability of uranyl interactions with nitrate is hypothesized to prevent dehydration of uranyl at the interface, and as such the cation concentration is un?perturbed in the interfacial region. However, Li+ loses waters of solvation when it is present in the interfacial region, an unfavorable process that causes a Li+ depletion region. Although significant perturbations to ion-ion interactions, solvation, and solvation dynamics are observed in the interfacial region, importantly, this does not change the association constants of uranyl with nitrate. Thus, the experimental association constants, in combination with knowledge of the interfacial ion concentrations, can be used to predict the distribution of interfacial uranyl nitrate complexes. The enhanced concentration of uranyl dinitrate at the interface, caused by excess adsorbed NO− 3 , is highly relevant to extractant ligand design principles as such nitrate complexes are the reactants in ligand complexation and extraction events. </p>

Solvation Behaviour of Some Copper(I) Nitrate Complexes in Dimethylsulfoxide and Nitromethane at 298 K

The ultrasonic velocities of solutions of Bu4NBPh4, Bu4NClO4, [Cu(AN)4]NO3, [Cu(BN)4]NO3, [Cu(Phen)2]NO3, [Cu(DMPhen)2]NO3, [Cu(Bipy)2]NO3 and [Cu(TU)4]NO3 (where AN = acetonitrile, BN = benzonitrile, Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, DMPhen = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, Bipy = 2,2′-bipyridyl and TU = thiourea) were measured in the concentration range 0.03-0.27 M in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), nitromethane (NM) and binary mixtures of DMSO + NM containing 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 mol% NM at 298 K in the present studies. Using ultrasonic velocity and density data, isentropic compressibility (κs) and apparent molal isentropic compressibility (κs,φ) for electrolytes in DMSO + NM mixture have been calculated. Result shows that copper(I) electrolytes show less solvation in NM rich regions indicating structure breaking tendency of nitromethane. Extent of solvation in Cu(I) ions decreases in the order: [Cu(AN)4]+ > [Cu(BN)4]+ > [Cu(TU)4]+ > [Cu(DMPhen)2]+ > [Cu(Phen)2]+ > [Cu(Bipy)2]+.

Dinuclear Silver(I) Nitrate Complexes with Bridging Bisphosphinomethanes: Argentophilicity and Luminescence

Two silver nitrate complexes with bisphosphines were obtained and characterized: [Ag(dcypm)]2(NO3)2 (1; dcypm = bis(dicyclohexylphosphino)methane) and [Ag(dppm)]2(Me2PzH)n(NO3)2 (n = 1, 2a; n = 2, 2b; dppm = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane, Me2PzH = 3,5-dimethylpyrazole). The steric repulsions of bulky cyclohexyl substituents prevent additional ligand coordination to the silver atoms in 1. Compounds obtained feature the bimetallic eight-member cyclic core [AgPCP]2. The intramolecular argenthophilic interaction (d(Ag···Ag) = 2.981 Å) was observed in complex 1. In contrast, the coordination of pyrazole led to the elongation of Ag···Ag distance to 3.218(1) Å in 2a and 3.520 Å in 2b. Complexes 1 and 2a possess phosphorescence both in the solution and solid state. Time-dependent density-functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations demonstrate the origin of their different emission profile. In the case of 1, upon excitation, the electron leaves the Ag–P bonding orbital and locates on the intramolecular Ag···Ag bond (metal-centered character). Complex 2a at room temperature exhibits a phosphorescence originating from the 3(M + LP+N)LPhCT state. At 77 K, the photoluminescence spectrum of complex 2a shows two bands of two different characters: 3(M + LP+N)LPhCT and 3LCPh transitions. The contribution of Ag atoms to the excited state in both complexes 2a and 2b decreased relative to 1 in agreement with the structural changes caused by pyrazole coordination.