Uranium(IV) hydride

Uranium(IV) hydride is a chemical compound with the chemical formula UH$4$, a metal hydride.

In 1997, Souter et al. reported the production of UH$4$ reacting laser ablated uranium atoms with dihydrogen and capturing the product on solid argon. The assignment of the structure was made using infrared spectroscopic evidence supported by DFT calculations. Uranium(IV) hydride has a quasi-tetrahedral (C$s$) structure. UH$4$ is formed by the successive insertion of uranium into two hydrogen molecules:


 * U + H$2$ → UH$2$
 * UH$2$ + H$2$ → UH$4$

Further reaction with hydrogen, only produces dihydrogen complexes: UH$4$(H$2$)$n$ (1 ≤ n ≤ 6).