Sodium hexachloroosmate
Sodium hexachloroosmate is the inorganic compound with the formula. A red solid, it is the disodium salt of the osmium complex. The anion is an octahedral complex with Os-Cl distance of 2.325 Å, as established by X-ray crystallography. The compound can be prepared by reaction of a suspension of osmium metal in molten sodium chloride with chlorine:
Hexachloroosmate is paramagnetic, with a low-spin d4 configuration.
Reactions
Sodium hexachloroosmate reacts with a solution of ammonium chloride to produce ammonium hexachloroosmate(IV). Upon exposure to strong alkali, hexachloroosmates will decompose to osmium dioxide. They react with excess ammonia to form so-called osmium diammine hydroxide,Sodium hexachloroosmate reacts with triphenylphosphine to form various complexes. When a solution of sodium hexachloroosmate and formalin is added to a boiling solution of triphenylphosphine in 2-methoxyethanol, is formed.
With an aqueous solution containing potassium hydroxide and formaldehyde they react to produce.
With ethanol and sodium borohydride they react to produce.
With 2-methoxyethanol and n-methyl-n-nitrosotoluene sulfonamide they react to yield.