Uranium pentabromide

Synthesis

The compound is made by reacting the elements in an acetonitrile solvent, or by reacting bromine with uranium metal or uranium tetrabromide at 55 C.

Properties

Uranium pentabromide is a hygroscopic dark brown solid that decomposes in water and most organic solvents, the exceptions being acetonitrile or dichloromethane. The compound is rather unstable and difficult to purify, decomposing at 80 C into uranium tetrabromide and bromine. The crystal structure is the same as that of β-, which is triclinic and consists of dimers.

Complexes

Stable complexes of the form are known with such ligands as triphenylphosphine oxide and hexamethylphosphoramide, and are obtained by brominating in the presence of the desired ligand. In addition, it is possible to obtain a hexabromouranate(V) salt by reacting with a monovalent bromide in thionyl bromide: :

References

References

1. (2010-10-21). "The Chemistry of the Actinide and Transactinide Elements (Set Vol.1-6): Volumes 1-6". Springer Science & Business Media.
2. (1968-01-01). "The stabilisation of plutonium tetrabromide and uranium pentabromide". Chemical Communications.
3. (1973-11-01). "The thermal decomposition and thermodynamic properties of uranium pentabromide". Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry.
4. (1978-01-01). "The crystal structure of uranium pentabromide by powder neutron diffraction". Journal of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry.