Photochemical Synthesis of a Stable Terminal Uranium(VI) Nitride

Terminal uranium nitrides have so far proven impossible to isolate by photolysis of azides. Here we report the second ever example of an isolated terminal uranium­(VI) nitride. We show that the terminal nitride [NBu₄]­[U­(OSi­(O^tBu)₃)₄(N)], 3, can be prepared upon photolysis with UV light of the U­(IV) azide analogue. This is achieved by careful tailoring of the azide precursor and of the reaction conditions. Complex 3 is stable under ambient conditions but reacts readily with electrophiles (H⁺ and CO).