Dinitrogen complexes of osmium(II)
Abstract
A series of 12 dinitrogen complexes of osmium(II), mer-[OsX2(N2)(QR3)3](X = Cl or Br; QR3= tertiary phosphine or arsine) has been prepared by the zinc reduction under dinitrogen of solutions of mer-[OsX3(QR3)3] in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran (THF). The compounds are assigned the meridional configuration with dinitrogen trans to halogen on the basis of their n.m.r. and i.r. spectra. The co-ordinated dinitrogen is displaced quantitatively by diphosphine Ph2P·CH2·CH2·PPh2 or by halide ion in the presence of air. Attempts to prepare an analogous series of complexes of ruthenium(II) were unsuccessful.