Herein we report the first example of a mononuclear uranium complex, [U4+(NP(pip)(3))(4)] (1-U), that selectively reduces dioxygen to produce a terminal oxo complex, [U6+O(NP(pip)(3))(4)] (2-U; [NP(pip)(3)](1-) is tris(piperidinyl)imidophosphorane). Reactions between 1-U and the heavier elemental chalcogens, S-8 or Se-0, result in six-coordinate U(vi) complexes, [U6+(kappa(2)-E-3)(NP(pip)(3))(4)] (E = S (3-U) or Se (4-U)).