Decacarbonyldihydridotriosmium


Decacarbonyldihydridotriosmium is an organoosmium compound with the formula H2Os310. This purple-violet crystalline air-stable cluster is noteworthy because it is electron-deficient and hence adds a variety of substrates.

Structure and synthesis

The trinuclear cluster features an isosceles triangular array of metals with one short edge, which is spanned by the two hydride ligands, and two longer edges. It can be described as Os42. The bonding in the Os2H2 subunit has been compared to the 3-center, 2e bonding in diborane. The molecule forms a variety of adducts with loss of H2.
It is prepared by purging a solution of Os3(CO)12 in octane with H2.

Reactions

The cluster reacts with a wide range of reagents under mild conditions. Illustrative is its reaction with diazomethane to give Os310, exhibiting an agostic interaction, the first identified in a metal cluster.