Electronic spectra and magnetic circular dichroism of the uranyl ion. Part II. The effect of reduced symmetry on the spectra

Abstract

We have examined the absorption and m.c.d. spectra of the dinitrate, trinitrate, and tetranitrate complexes of the uranyl ion and have interpreted the results in terms of an axial symmetry perturbation on the D_∞h states characterised in Part I. It is found that this gives a consistent account of the m.c.d. spectra at liquid-helium temperatures. We have also investigated the striking changes in structure observed in the absorption spectrum of the dinitrate complex in various solvents and have obtained quantitative estimates of reduction in symmetry from changes in the excited state moment.