Public Abstract

DE-SC0008479: Exploring the Fundamental Chemistry of Actinide Species Bearing Multiple Bonds and Redox Active Ligands

Award Status: Active

Institution: Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
UEI: YRXVL4JYCEF5
DUNS: 072051394

Most Recent Award Date: 04/15/2026
Number of Support Periods: 12
PM: Wilk, Philip

Current Budget Period: 01/15/2026 - 01/14/2027
Current Project Period: 01/15/2026 - 01/14/2029
PI: Bart, Suzanne

Supplement Budget Period: N/A

Public Abstract

“Exploring the Fundamental Chemistry of Actinide Species Bearing Multiple Bonds and Redox Active Ligands” Prof. Suzanne C. Bart Department of Chemistry Purdue University – Main Campus West Lafayette, IN 47907 When one examines the Periodic Table, it is clear that there is a “floating island” of elements at the bottom, removed from the main table. For many, these elements are shrouded in mystery, because they are very rarely a regular part of any school curriculum. However, these elements are truly unique in terms of their chemical properties. Their unusual chemistry makes them an important part of everyday life, as these elements are the basis of modern-day electronics, renewable energies, carbon-neutral energies, medical advancements, and so much more. Work in our laboratory seeks to expand the knowledge of the fundamental chemistry of these elements to determine new and more efficient uses. The Heavy Element Chemistry Program at the US Department of Energy funds research aimed at understanding the fundamental chemistry of these elements at the bottom of the Periodic Table. Specifically, understanding “Chemical bonding and reactivity of molecules that contain heavy elements”. All of the projects that we focus on in our research group tackle how to encapsulate these heavy elements in organic molecules, and try to determine how those molecules behave differently than their atomic form. The majority of our studies entail work with uranium and thorium, but we also plan to understand “fundamental transactinide chemical properties (in our case transuranium),” which are those that come after uranium on the Periodic Table. Transuranium elements have not had the benefit of years of intense experimental scrutiny to learn their properties, partially due to the high radioactivity and partially due to the limited amount and forms of starting materials that are available with which to work. In our case, we are studying the interaction of neptunium with organic ligands to determine under what conditions this bonding occurs. Over the years, we have learned more about the syntheses of these species, so we will take a new approach involving forming new neptunium-nitrogen bonds followed by N-H activation at nitrogen to form new neptunium-nitrogen multiple bonds. Another focus of our research, as well as many others, is to explore “bonding relationships among the actinides, lanthanides, and transition metals”. This has been a topic we have explored in the past, and will continue to do so as we learn a lot about the difference in bonding between elements. One area of research we specialize in is understanding how multiple bonds to main group elements changes the chemistry of actinide elements. The actinides can have more than any other element on the Periodic Table, and their chemistry can be manipulated depending on how many groups there are. In our new study, we will design and make molecules that maximize the number of unpaired electrons in monomeric lanthanide compounds, and can produce radical containing species with long lifetimes. Such electronic structures have important applications, including memory storage, quantum computing, quantum sensing, magnetic materials, medical imaging, and molecular spin qubits. Our studies will be supplemented by a variety of analytical techniques to confirm formation of the correct species, and to let us know about the electronic structures of these compounds.

“Exploring the Fundamental Chemistry of Actinide Species Bearing Multiple Bonds and Redox Active Ligands”

Prof. Suzanne C. Bart

Department of Chemistry

Purdue University – Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN 47907

When one examines the Periodic Table, it is clear that there is a “floating island” of elements at the bottom, removed from the main table. For many, these elements are shrouded in mystery, because they are very rarely a regular part of any school curriculum. However, these elements are truly unique in terms of their chemical properties. Their unusual chemistry makes them an important part of everyday life, as these elements are the basis of modern-day electronics, renewable energies, carbon-neutral energies, medical advancements, and so much more. Work in our laboratory seeks to expand the knowledge of the fundamental chemistry of these elements to determine new and more efficient uses.

The Heavy Element Chemistry Program at the US Department of Energy funds research aimed at understanding the fundamental chemistry of these elements at the bottom of the Periodic Table. Specifically, understanding “Chemical bonding and reactivity of molecules that contain heavy elements”. All of the projects that we focus on in our research group tackle how to encapsulate these heavy elements in organic molecules, and try to determine how those molecules behave differently than their atomic form. The majority of our studies entail work with uranium and thorium, but we also plan to understand “fundamental transactinide chemical properties (in our case transuranium),” which are those that come after uranium on the Periodic Table. Transuranium elements have not had the benefit of years of intense experimental scrutiny to learn their properties, partially due to the high radioactivity and partially due to the limited amount and forms of starting materials that are available with which to work. In our case, we are studying the interaction of neptunium with organic ligands to determine under what conditions this bonding occurs. Over the years, we have learned more about the syntheses of these species, so we will take a new approach involving forming new neptunium-nitrogen bonds followed by N-H activation at nitrogen to form new neptunium-nitrogen multiple bonds.

Another focus of our research, as well as many others, is to explore “bonding relationships among the actinides, lanthanides, and transition metals”. This has been a topic we have explored in the past, and will continue to do so as we learn a lot about the difference in bonding between elements. One area of research we specialize in is understanding how multiple bonds to main group elements changes the chemistry of actinide elements. The actinides can have more than any other element on the Periodic Table, and their chemistry can be manipulated depending on how many groups there are. In our new study, we will design and make molecules that maximize the number of unpaired electrons in monomeric lanthanide compounds, and can produce radical containing species with long lifetimes. Such electronic structures have important applications, including memory storage, quantum computing, quantum sensing, magnetic materials, medical imaging, and molecular spin qubits. Our studies will be supplemented by a variety of analytical techniques to confirm formation of the correct species, and to let us know about the electronic structures of these compounds.