Methods to separate the components of the equilibrium mixture of [(C5Me5)2UH]2 and [(C5Me5)2UH2]2 have been developed that allow their reductive chemistry to be studied. These actinide hydrides can act as four-, six-, and eight-electron reductants depending on the substrate with H2 as the byproduct of a H- → e- + 1/2 H2 redox couple. This hydride reduction chemistry allows complexes of redox-inactive Th4+ such as [(C5Me5)2ThH2]2 to be four- and six-electron reductants. [(C5Me5)2UH]2 and [(C5Me5)2UH2]2 cleanly reduce 2 equiv of PhEEPh (E = S, Se) to form 2 equiv of (C5Me5)2U(SPh)2 and (C5Me5)2U(SePh)2 in an overall four-electron reduction in each case. [(C5Me5)2UH]2 and [(C5Me5)2UH2]2 also effect a six-electron reduction of 3 equiv of 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene to [(C5Me5)(C8H8)U]2(C8H8) and an eight-electron reduction of 2 equiv of PhNNPh to form 2 equiv of the U6+ imido complex (C5Me5)2U(NPh)2. In each reaction, H2 is a byproduct. This hydride-based reduction is also successful with the tetravalent thorium hydride [(C5Me5)2ThH2]2, which reduces 2 equiv of PhSSPh to (C5Me5)2Th(SPh)2 and 3 equiv of C8H8 to [(C5Me5)(C8H8)Th]2(C8H8) with concomitant formation of H2. X-ray crystallographic data are reported on [(C5Me5)2UH]2, [(C5Me5)2UH2]2, and (C5Me5)2U(SePh)2 as well as the thorium reduction products (C5Me5)2Th(SPh)2 and [(C5Me5)(C8H8)Th]2(C8H8).

The reaction of GeCl2(dioxane) with K2Pc(DMF)4 yields germanium phthalocyanine, GePc. GePc dissolves in pyridine to form GePc(py)2. The 1H NMR spectrum of GePc(py)2 and nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) calculations on GePc(NMe3)2 both show the presence of a strong paratropic ring current. That ring current, along with the bond-length alternation in the crystal structure of GePc(tBuPy)2, indicates the presence of an antiaromatic pi-electron circuit in GePc(py)2. SiPc(py)2 was synthesized, and its electronic structure is similar to that of GePc(py)2.

The reactions of Pb(OAc)2 with 1,2,4,5-benzenetetrathiol, 1,4-benzenedithiol, and benzenehexathiol in ethylenediamine yield bright yellow [Pb2(S2C6H2S2)(en)]n, orange-red [Pb3(SC6H4S)3(en)2]n, and brown [Pb3C6S6]n, respectively. The structures of [Pb2(S2C6H2S2)(en)]n and [Pb3C6S6]n were solved by synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction, while the structure of [Pb3(SC6H4S)3(en)2]n was solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The bonding in [Pb2(S2C6H2S2)(en)]n indicates the presence of "molecular" units, while in [Pb3C6S6]n, the bonding most resembles that in an inorganic solid such as PbS. The differences in bonding are reflected in the optical and electrical properties of the materials; [Pb3C6S6]n is a semiconductor.