Crystallographic and spectroscopic characterization of a mixed actinide–lanthanide carbide cluster stabilized inside an Ih(7)-C80 fullerene cage.

A mixed actinide–lanthanide cluster fullerene, Sc2UC@Ih(7)-C80, was isolated and fully characterized. For the first time, the single crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis confirms a novel actinide–lanthanide cluster Sc2UC stabilized inside an Ih(7)-C80 cage. Moreover, the U＝C double bond distance is 2.01 Å, the shortest U＝C bond confirmed by crystallography so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]