Uranyl ion complexation by the tripodal ligand nitrilotriacetate

Reaction of uranyl nitrate with N-(2-acetamido)iminodiacetic acid (ADA) under hydrothermal conditions resulted in the hydrolysis of the amide group and the isolation of the complex [(UO2)(HNTA)(H2O)2], in which each nitrilotriacetate ligand, protonated at the N site, bridges three metal atoms to give rise to infinite ladder-like ribbons built from 2:2 metallacycles.