Comparison of Lanthanides and Actinides

Comparison of Lanthanides and Actinides

Points of Similarities and difference. Both show close resemblance because these involve filling of f-subshells. Both have coloured ions, low electronegativity, high reactivity and show magnetic properties. However, these also differ from each other as shown in the following.

Lanthanide s

1.     Lanthanide s Binding energies of 4f electrons are higher.

2.     Maximum oxidation satate exhibited by lanthanides is +4 e.g. Ce4+

3.     4f electrons have greater shielding effect.

4.     Most of their ions are colourless.

5.     They are paramagnetic but magnetic properties can be easily explained.

6.     They do not form complexes easily.

7.     Except promethium, they are non-radioactive.

8.     Their compounds are less basic.

9.     They do not form oxocations.

Actinide s

1.     Binding energies of 5f electrons are lower.

2.     Due to lower binding energies they show higher oxidation states such as +4, +5 and +6. Uranium

3.     exhibits +6 oxidation state in UF6 and UO 2Cl2 5f electrons have poor shielding effect.

4.     Most of their ions are coloured U3+ (red), U4+ (green) and UO 22+ (yellow)

5.     They are also paramagnetic but their magnetic properties are very difficult to interpret.

6.     They have much greater tendency to form complexes.

7.     All of them are radioactive.

8.     Their compounds are more basic.

9.     They form oxocations such as UO 22+, UO +, N pO 2+, PuO 2+.