Synthesis, characterization, and crystal structures of uranyl compounds containing mixed chromium oxidation states

The mixed-valence chromium uranyl compounds Li5[(UO2)4(Cr(V)O5)(Cr(VI)O4)4](H2O)17 (1), (Mg(H2O)6)5[(UO2)8(Cr(V)O5)2(Cr(VI)O4)8] (2) and (NH4)5[(UO2)4(Cr(V)O5)(Cr(VI)O4)2]H2O11 (3) have been synthesized and characterized. Each contains an identical sheet of cation-centered polyhedra. Central to the connectivity of the sheet are four uranyl pentagonal bipyramids that share some of their equatorial vertices, giving a four-membered ring. The Cr(V) cation located near the center of this ring is coordinated by O atoms in a square pyramidal arrangement. The Cr(VI) is tetrahedrally coordinated by O atoms, and these tetrahedra link the four-membered rings of bipyramids. The mixed-valence nature of the sheet was verified by XANES, an EPR spectrum, and bond-valence analysis. Low-valence cations and H2O groups reside between the sheets of uranyl and chromate polyhedra, where they provide linkages between adjacent sheets.