UCLA

This work culminates a systematic study of various uranium complexes supported by ferrocene diamide ligands. Chapter 1 reports the synthesis of 1,1'-ferrocene diamines and describes their electronic and steric properties in both neutral and oxidized forms. Chapter 2 describes an efficient synthesis of uranium dialkyl complexes supported by a single 1,1'- ferrocene diamide ligand, while Chapter 3 explores their reactivity with several aromatic heterocycles. Chapter 4 focuses on the electrochemical behavior of ferrocene-based uranium halide, alkyl, aryloxide, and amide ligands. Finally, Chapter 5 explains electrochemical, spectroscopic, and magnetic properties of uranium bis(1,1'-diamidoferrocene) complexes in an attempt to establish how well uranium mediates electronic communication between two iron centers.