Process for increasing the reaction rate of UO2 F2

Claim 2

A process for increasing the average reaction rate of reduction of UO 2 F 2 comprising: (a) combining UO 2 F 2 with an organic compound capable of interacting with said UO 2 F 2 to form a reaction product containing from 0.5 to 3.0 moles of said organic compound per mole of UO 2 F 2 , said organic compound selected from the group consisting of amines of generalized formula ##STR29## where at least one of radicals R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is an aliphatic or an aromatic carbon network with carbon numbers of 1 to 6 with the remaining radicals, if any, being H, aliphatic heterocyclic amines of generalized formula ##STR30## where R 4 is H or an aliphatic radical of carbon number of 1 to 4 and n can assume values of 4 to 6 inclusive and R n1 and R n2 are each individually H or methyl, each of R n1 and R n2 being the same or different; aromatic heterocyclic amines of generalized formula ##STR31## where m is an integer of 4 to 6 inclusive and a = 1 when m = 4 or 6 and a = 0 when m = 5, and R 5 is H or aliphatic radical of carbon number 1 to 4 and R m1 is H or methyl, aliphatic amides of formic acid of generalized formula ##STR32## where R 6 and R 7 are each individually H or an aliphatic radical of carbon number 1 to 3, each of R 6 and R 7 being the same or different, alcohols of generalized formula R.sub.8 -- O -- H where R 8 is an aliphatic radical of carbon number 1 to 4 inclusive, sulfides of generalized formula R.sub.9 -- S -- R.sub.10 where R 9 and R 10 are the same or different aliphatic radicals having a carbon number of 1 to 3, aliphatic heterocyclic sulfides of generalized formula ##STR33## where p is an integer between 4 and 6 inclusive and R p1 and R p2 are each individually H or methyl, each of R p1 and R p2 being the same or different, aliphatic heterocyclic sulfoxides of generalized formula ##STR34## where q is an integer of 4 to 6 inclusive and R q1 and R q2 are each individually H or methyl, each of R q1 and R q2 being the same or different, sulfones of generalized formula ##STR35## where R 13 and R 14 are aliphatic radicals of carbon number 1 to 3, aliphatic heterocyclic sulfones of generalized formula ##STR36## where r is an integer of 4 to 6 inclusive and R r1 and R r2 are each individually H or methyl, each of R r1 and R r2 being the same or different, and mixtures thereof, (b) decomposing said reaction product to yield UO 2 F 2 in an increased kinetically reactive state.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 in which said organic compound is an amine.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 in which said organic compound is an aliphatic heterocyclic amine.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 in which said organic compound is an aromatic heterocyclic amine.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 in which said organic compound is an aliphatic amide.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 in which said organic compound is an alcohol.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1 in which said organic compound is a sulfide.

Claim 9

The process of claim 1 in which said organic compound is an aliphatic heterocyclic sulfide.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1 in which said organic compound is an aliphatic heterocyclic sulfoxide.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1 in which said organic compound is a sulfone.

Claim 12

The process of claim 1 in which said organic compound is an aliphatic heterocyclic sulfone.

Claim 13

The process of claim 1 in which said organic compound is selected from the group consisting of pyridine, 2-picoline, 4-picoline, N,N-dimethylformamide, tetrahydrothiophene, tetramethylenesulfoxide, tetramethylenesulfone, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, n-propylalcohol, aniline, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 14

The process of claim 12 in which said organic compound is pyridine.

Claim 15

The process of claim 12 in which said organic compound is 2-picoline.

Claim 16

The process of claim 12 in which said organic compound is 4-picoline.

Claim 17

The process of claim 12 in which said organic compound is N,N-dimethylformamide.

Claim 18

The process of claim 12 in which said organic compound is tetrahydrothiophene.

Claim 19

The process of claim 12 in which said organic compound is tetramethylenesulfoxide.

Claim 20

The process of claim 12 in which said organic compound is tetramethylenesulfone.

Claim 21

The process of claim 12 in which said organic compound is methyl alcohol.

Claim 22

The process of claim 12 in which said organic compound is ethyl alcohol.

Claim 23

The process of claim 12 in which said organic compound is n-propyl alcohol.

Claim 24

The process of claim 12 in which said organic compound is aniline.

Claim 25

In a process for the production of UO 2 by the reduction of UO 2 F 2 , the improvement which comprises the steps of reacting said UO 2 F 2 with an organic compound to form a reaction product containing from 0.5 to 3.0 moles of said organic compound per mole of UO 2 F 2 and reducing said reaction product with hydrogen at an elevated temperature to yield UO 2 , said organic compound selected from the group consisting of amines of generalized formula ##STR37## where at least one of radicals R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is an aliphatic or an aromatic carbon network with carbon numbers of 1 to 6 with the remaining radicals, if any, being H, aliphatic heterocyclic amines of generalized formula ##STR38## where R 4 is H or an aliphatic radical of carbon number of 1 to 4 and n can assume values of 4 to 6 inclusive and R n1 and R n2 are each individually H or methyl, each of R n1 and R n2 being the same or different, aromatic heterocyclic amines of generalized formula ##STR39## where m is an integer of 4 to 6 inclusive and a = 1 when m = 4 or 6 and a = 0 when m = 5, and R 5 is H or aliphatic radical of carbon number 1 to 4 and R m1 is H or methyl, aliphatic amides of formic acid of generalized formula ##STR40## where R 6 and R 7 are each individually H or an aliphatic radical of carbon number 1 to 3, each of R 6 and R 7 being the same or different, alcohols of generalized formula R.sub.8 -- O -- H where R 8 is an aliphatic radical of carbon number 1 to 4 inclusive, sulfides of generalized formula R.sub.9 -- S -- R.sub.10 where R 9 and R 10 are the same or different aliphatic radicals having a carbon number of 1 to 3, aliphatic heterocyclic sulfides of generalized formula ##STR41## where p is an integer between 4 and 6 inclusive and R p1 and R p2 are each individually H or methyl, each of R p1 and R p2 being the same or different, sulfoxides of generalized formula ##STR42## where R 11 and R 12 are aliphatic radicals of carbon number 1 to 3, aliphatic heterocyclic sulfoxides of generalized formula ##STR43## where q is an integer of 4 to 6 inclusive and R q1 and R q2 are each individually H or methyl, each of R q1 and R q2 being the same or different, sulfones of generalized formula ##STR44## where R 13 and R 14 are aliphatic radicals of carbon number 1 to 3, aliphatic heterocyclic sulfones of generalized formula ##STR45## where r is an integer of 4 to 6 inclusive and R r1 and R r2 are each individually H or methyl, each of R r1 and R r2 being the same or different, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 26

In a process for the production of UO 2 by the reduction of UO 2 F 2 , the improvement which comprises the steps of reacting said UO 2 F 2 with an organic compound to form a reaction product containing from 0.5 to 3.0 moles of said organic compound per mole of UO 2 F 2 and reducing said reaction product with hydrogen at an elevated temperature to yield UO 2 , said organic compound selected from the group consisting of amines of generalized formula ##STR37## where at least one of radicals R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is an aliphatic or an aromatic carbon network with carbon numbers of 1 to 6 with the remaining radicals, if any, being H, aliphatic heterocyclic amines of generalized formula ##STR38## where R 4 is H or an aliphatic radical of carbon number of 1 to 4 and n can assume values of 4 to 6 inclusive and R n1 and R n2 are each individually H or methyl, each of R n1 and R n2 being the same or different, aromatic heterocyclic amines of generalized formula ##STR39## where m is an integer of 4 to 6 inclusive and a = 1 when m = 4 or 6 and a = 0 when m = 5, and R 5 is H or aliphatic radical of carbon number 1 to 4 and R m1 is H or methyl, aliphatic amides of formic acid of generalized formula ##STR40## where R 6 and R 7 are each individually H or an aliphatic radical of carbon number 1 to 3, each of R 6 and R 7 being the same or different, alcohols of generalized formula R.sub.8 -- O -- H where R 8 is an aliphatic radical of carbon number 1 to 4 inclusive, sulfides of generalized formula R.sub.9 -- S -- R.sub.10 where R 9 and R 10 are the same or different aliphatic radicals having a carbon number of 1 to 3, aliphatic heterocyclic sulfides of generalized formula ##STR41## where p is an integer between 4 and 6 inclusive and R p1 and R p2 are each individually H or methyl, each of R p1 and R p2 being the same or different, sulfoxides of generalized formula ##STR42## where R 11 and R 12 are aliphatic radicals of carbon number 1 to 3, aliphatic heterocyclic sulfoxides of generalized formula ##STR43## where q is an integer of 4 to 6 inclusive and R q1 and R q2 are each individually H or methyl, each of R q1 and R q2 being the same or different, sulfones of generalized formula ##STR44## where R 13 and R 14 are aliphatic radicals of carbon number 1 to 3, aliphatic heterocyclic sulfones of generalized formula ##STR45## where r is an integer of 4 to 6 inclusive and R r1 and R r2 are each individually H or methyl, each of R r1 and R r2 being the same or different, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 27

The process of claim 24 in which said organic compound is an amine.

Claim 28

The process of claim 24 in which said organic compound is an aliphatic heterocyclic amine.

Claim 29

The process of claim 24 in which said organic compound is an aromatic heterocyclic amine.

Claim 30

The process of claim 24 in which said organic compound is an aliphatic amide.

Claim 31

The process of claim 24 in which said organic compound is an alcohol.

Claim 32

The process of claim 24 in which said organic compound is a sulfide.

Claim 33

The process of claim 24 in which said organic comound is an aliphatic heterocyclic sulfide.

Claim 34

The process of claim 24 in which said organic compound is a sulfoxide.

Claim 35

The process of claim 24 in which said organic compound is an aliphatic heterocyclic sulfide.

Claim 36

The process of claim 24 in which said organic compound is a sulfone.

Claim 37

The process of claim 24 in which said organic compound is an aliphatic heterocyclic sulfone.

Claim 38

The process of claim 24 in which said organic compound is selected from the group consisting of pyridine, 2-picoline, 4-picoline, dimethylsulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, tetrahydrothiophene, tetramethylenesulfoxide, tetramethylenesulfone, methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, n-propyl alcohol, aniline, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 39

The process of claim 36 in which said organic compound is pyridine.

Claim 40

The process of claim 36 in which said organic compound is 2-picoline.

Claim 41

The process of claim 36 in which said organic compound is 4-picoline.

Claim 42

The process of claim 36 in which said organic compound is dimethylsulfoxide.

Claim 43

The process of claim 36 in which said organic compound is N,N-dimethylformamide.

Claim 44

The process of claim 36 in which said organic compound is tetrahydrothiophene.

Claim 45

The process of claim 36 in which said organic compound is tetramethylenesulfoxide.

Claim 46

The process of claim 36 in which said organic compound is tetramethylenesulfone.

Claim 47

The process of claim 36 in which said organic compound is methyl alcohol.

Claim 48

The process of claim 36 in which said organic compound is ethyl alcohol.

Claim 49

The process of claim 36 in which said organic compound is n-propyl alcohol.

Claim 50

The process of claim 36 in which said organic compound is aniline.