Abstract:The vibrational features and molecular structures of complexes formed by a series of uranyl-salophen receptors with simple anions, such as Cl À , H À , and HCOO À , have been investigated in the gas phase. Spectra of the anionic complexes were studied in the ñ = 800-1800 cm À1 range by mass-selective infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy with a continuously tunable free-electron laser.The gas-phase decarboxylation of the formate adducts produces uranyl-salophen monohydride anions, which have been characterized for the first time and reveal a strong UÀ H bond, the nature of which has been elucidated theoretically. The spectra are in excellent agreement with the results obtained from high-quality ab initio calculations, which provided the structure and binding features of the anion-receptor complexes.