The role of the 5f and 6d orbitals in the chemical bonding of the actinide elements remains debated. Here, the authors synthesize and study a tetranuclear protactinium peroxo cluster and demonstrate that protactinium represents an intersection of actinide (5f) and transition metal (6d) chemistries.
- Richard E. Wilson
- Stephanie De Sio
- Valérie Vallet