*WINNER* Frustrated Complexant Scaffolds of 2-(6-[1,2,4]triazin-3-yl-pyridin-2-yl)-1H-indoles Toward Minor-Actinide Separations

Abstract

Recycling of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) continues to be of great environmental importance, particularly due to the increased recent interest in transitioning away from non-renewable fossil fuels toward renewable cleaner energy sources. The use of nuclear fuel as a primary fuel source has one significant drawback, the environmental concerns over the handling of SNF. Soft-Lewis basic complexants have been evaluated as possible solutions to aid in this process of separation and recycling of fuels due to their ability to participate in effective chemoselective separation of minor actinides over lanthanides. The separation of minor actinides is important due to lanthanides having the ability to absorb neutrons, rendering them unsuitable enough for usage in more commonplace fuels. This project aims combine soft-Lewis basic starting materials previously synthesized in this group with indole boronic acids to afford a lessened basic nature which could potentially enhance chelation efficacy and radiolytic stability. All of the complexants synthesized in this project have not been reported in the primary literature. Diversification has been accomplished by varying both scaffold, indole, and variations of both. Optimization of synthesis and purification protocols has been completed alongside characterization of these new compounds. A standard example of the Br-MTP-Phen scaffold combined with the unfunctionalized indole boronic acid will be studied for solubility and chelation ability. Current synthetic reports, optimization, and downstream functionalization will be reported.