Electronic structure of actinoyl ions

The electronic structure of the AnO2+ ions for the elements from uranium to californium has been investigated by the quasi-relativistic Xα-scattered-wave method. It has been shown that the strength of the bonding decreases toward the end of the series as a consequence of the localization of the outer 5f electrons and the inner 6p electrons in the atomic orbitals of the actinide and the transfer of electron density from the 6d orbitals to the atomic orbitals of oxygen. The greater localization of the 5f and 6p electrons results in a decrease in the strength of the actinide-oxygen bonds in AnO2+ in comparison to AnO22+