Gary V. Goeden

Formation of osmium nitrile complexes and phosphinimine complexes from n-aroylphosphinimines

Abstract Osmium(III) nitrile complexes of the type OsCl 3 -(NCAr)(PPh 3 ) 2 (Ar = phenyl, p-tolyl) are formed by the action of aromatic nitriles or N-aroylphosphinimines on OsCl 4 (PPh 3 ) 2 in refluxing p-xylene Osmium(II) nitrile and phosphinimine complexes. OsCl 2 (NCAr) 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 and OsCl 2 (ArCNPPh 3 )- (PPh 3 ) 2 , are similarly formed by the action of the respective nitriles or phosphinimines on OsO 2 Cl 2 -(PPh 3 ) 2 . Depending on reaction conditions, triphenylphosphine converts OsO 2 Cl 2 (PPh 3 ) 2 to OsCl 4 -(PPh 3 ) 2 or to OsCl 2 (PPh 3 ) 3 which are useful starting materials for syntheses of a variety of osmium carbonyl, nitrile and hydride complexes.