Lanthanides & Actinides Flashcards
4f Orbitals
n=4, l=3, m_l = ±3, ±2, ±1, 0 no radial nodes 3 angular nodes ungerade symmetry core-like: penetrate the [Xe] core.
Chemical nature of 4f orbitals
Due to the contracted nature of the orbitals, the lanthanides are very unreactive, as the 4f orbitals are so contracted they cannot interact with any ligand environment.
Lanthanum (La) ground state configuration
[Xe] 5d1 6s2
since this is the beginning of the series, the 4f orbitals are not yet incredibly contracted, and 5d is higher in energy than 4f.
Cerium (Ce) ground state configurations
[Xe] 4f1 5d1 6s2
since this is the beginning of the series, the 4f orbitals are not yet incredibly contracted, and 5d is higher in energy than 4f. After Ce, the effective nuclear charge increases so 4f is lower in energy than 5d.
Praseodymium (Pr) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f3 6s2
At this point the 4f orbitals are very contracted and poorly shielded, and are now lower in energy than 5d orbitals.
Neodymium (Nd) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f4 6s2
Promethium (Pm) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f5 6s2
Samarium (Sm) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f6 6s2
Europium (Eu) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f7 6s2
Gadolinium (Gd) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f7 5d1 6s2
This is the ground state configuration as it is energetically more favorable to have a half-filled f orbital and one electron in the d orbital rather than 8 electrons in the f orbital/
Terbium (Tb) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f9 6s2
Dysprosium (Dy) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f10 6s2
Holmium (Ho) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f11 6s2
Erbium (Er) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f12 6s2
Thulium (Tm) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f13 6s2
Ytterbium (Yb) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f14 6s2
Lutetium (Lu) ground state configuration
[Xe] 4f14 5d1 6s2
Typical oxidation state of the lanthanides
+3 is the most common ox state of the lanthanides, as for virtually all of the elements, the ionization energy to reach the +4 oxidation state is significantly higher than the previous ionization energies. This is due to the highly contracted nature of the 4f orbitals, which are stabilized much more than any other orbitals by the removal of an electron. Hence the lanthanide ions tend to obtain [Xe] 4fn-1 electron configurations, where n is the number in the ground state.
+2 Oxidation state lanthanides
Eu and Yb have maxima for IEs for the third ionization. This is because they have full or half-full 4f orbitals, and are thus especially stable. Therefore Eu and Yb easily form +2 oxidation states rather than +3 ox states. Sm, since it’s close to Eu, also can have +2 ox. state. This means that Sm 2+, Eu 2+, and Yb 2+ have a more diverse chemistry than the other +3 lanthanides. This impacts metallic radius and chemical behaviour. Eu and Yb behave like heavier group 2 metals.
+4 oxidation state lanthanides
Ce, Tb, Pr, Nd, and Dy all show some tetravalent chemistry as there are minima in the I4 energy. Ce4+ is accessible due to the high energy of the 4f orbitals early in the series, and has extensive chemistry. The other lanthanides are limited to fluorides and dioxides.
Lanthanide Contraction
The metallic and ionic radii decrease linearly through the series, as 4f orbitals do not screen the valence electrons from the nuclear charge. For metals the valence electrons can be considered 6s or 5d, while the ions have 5s or 5p valence orbitals.
The exceptions are Eu and Yb due in the metallic radius as they tend to be in +2 state rather than +3 state.
5f orbitals
The 5f orbitals have 3 angular nodes and 1 radial node. As they are one larger than the 4f orbitals, they have greater extension beyond the 6s and 6p orbitals than 4f has beyond the 5 equivalents. As a result there are more covalent interactions in bonding in the early members of the series. EPR data suggests that there is covalent bonding in UF3 but not NdF3.
The greater extension of the 5f orbitals is due to relativistic effects.
Relativistic effects on Actinides
Due to the greater nuclear mass of the actinides relative to the mass of an electron, the electrons orbiting the nuclei are travelling very fast, close to the speed of light. Since that speed barrier cannot be broken, the electron mass increases. This causes the s and p orbitals to contract and stabilise, while the d and f orbitals experience an expansion/destabilisation due to the increases shielding. This is in part the cause of the increased radial extension of the 5f orbitals.
Electronic configuration of the actinides
Up to and including Np, the electron configurations incorporate d and s orbitals as they are lower in energy than the 5f orbitals. At Pu, the 5f orbitals are more stabilised and there are only f and s electrons in the configuration. Cm and Lr are exceptions with half filled and filled shells and a d electron.
Oxidation States of the Actinides
The early actinides do NOT prefer +3 ox state- Th is amost exclusively in the +4 state and U 3+ is only obtained by the reduction of higher valent species. These behave more like TMs and therefore have appreciable chemistry. Up to Uranium, the most common ox states are dictated by valence electrons.
Later actinides favor the +3 state- they act like the lanthanides and do not have appreciable chemistry.
Ionic Radii of the Actinides
There is a clear actinide contraction as you move along the period. As long as the ox state is the same, the trend is linearly decreasing.
Metallic Radii of the Actinides
There is no discernable pattern to the metallic radii of the actinides, probably due to the variation in possible oxidation states.
Nuclear Fission
When a large nucleus splits into two smaller nuclei, which may collide and create more fission. Nuclear energy (and other uses) relies on the enrichment of U-235.
Uranium Enrichment Isotope Separation
Gaseous Diffusion
Gas Centrifuge
Electromagnetic Separation
Laser separation
Gaseous Diffusion
UF6 vapour diffuse through barriers that are resistant to F2 eg Al or Ni, with pores 10-25 nm at 70-80˚C.
Gas Centrifuge
Low tech approach. Centrifuge UF6 vapour, use the fact that the heavier U-238 is found at the edges which the lighter U-235 is in the center.
Electromagnetic Separation
Ionized UCl4 separated in cyclotron-like system.
Laser Separation
Selectively ionize U-235 with a laser.
Actinide-Halide complexes
The actinides up to U can form halides based on the number of valence electrons. After U all of the actinides for AnX3 compounds.
UF6 is the most important actinide halide, which is used in enriching U
Synthesis of UF6
HF + UO2 –> UF4 + 2 H20
+F2 –> UF6
Separation of the Lanthanides
Monazite and xenotime treated under alkaline conditions, then acidified to generate LnCl3 solution. ThO2 removed by precipitation.
Oxidizing roast, then bastnaesite is treated with H2SO4 to generate Ln2(SO4)3 and extract CeO2. After this point the lanthanides may be separated by fractional crystallization, chemical separation using multiple ox states of Ce and Eu, Ion-exchange chromatography, and solvent extraction.
Ion-exchange chromatography
In a column with resin, heavier smaller lanthanides, which are stronger Lewis acids bind more strongly to a chelating eluent like EDTA or citric acid, and are removed in order of their stability constant, highest first, so the heaviest elements come out first.