Conversion of Americia to Anhydrous Trivalent Americium Halides

Anhydrous americium(III) starting materials were prepared from americia (AmO2) using inexpensive, commercially available reagents and mild reaction conditions. [AmCl(mu-Cl)(2)(THF)(2)](n) (1-Am) and AmBr3(THF)(4)(2-Am) were isolated and characterized by electronic absorption spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. These new starting materials are soluble in organic solvents, making them useful synthons for nonaqueous organometallic americium chemistry.