Osmium phosphines

It is a singular circumstance that the known chemistry of the tertiary phosphite complexes of osmium differs quite significantly from that of the tertiary phosphines, arsines and stibines. The closest analogue to P(OR)3 in osmium coordination chemistry would seem to be PF3, but even here the similarities are not marked. The oxidation states found are 0, II, III and IV (there are no established zerovalent unsubstituted osmium phosphine complexes), and the phosphites form unsubstituted species of the type OsL and [OsL ] " which have no counterparts in phosphine chemistry. The reason for these differences must be associated in part at least with the different cone angles and basicities of P(OR)3 ligands as against PR3. Further similarities and differences between the chemistries of osmium phosphines, phosphites and phosphorus trihalide complexes would obviously constitute a worthwhile study. 

A Belgian patent (178) claims improved ethanol selectivity of over 62%, starting with methanol and synthesis gas and using a cobalt catalyst with a hahde promoter and a tertiary phosphine. At 195°C, and initial carbon monoxide pressure of 7.1 MPa (70 atm) and hydrogen pressure of 7.1 MPa, methanol conversions of 30% were indicated, but the selectivity for acetic acid and methyl acetate, usehil by-products from this reaction, was only 7%. Ruthenium and osmium catalysts (179,180) have also been employed for this reaction. The addition of a bicycHc trialkyl phosphine is claimed to increase methanol conversion from 24% to 89% (181). 

Osmium(II) forms no hexaaquo complex and [Os(NH3)g] +, which may possibly be present in potassium/liquid NH3 solutions, is also unstable. [Os(NH3)5N2] and other dinitrogen complexes are known but only ligands with good 7r-acceptor properties, such as CN, bipy, phen, phosphines and arsines, really stabilize Os , and these form complexes similar to their Ru analogues. 

Within the osmium complexes in oxidation states (II-IV) [11,12] the stability of the +4 oxidation state becomes more important. Ammine and tertiary phosphine complexes have been selected for detailed examination. 

The osmium(VI) complexes 0s02X2(PR3)2 are not generally obtainable with the smaller alkyl and alkyl(aryl)phosphines, which tend to be good... 

Figure 1.60 Syntheses of some osmium complexes of tertiary phosphines.

The osmium(IV) complexes are only obtained by this route with fairly unreactive phosphines and arsines (e.g. PBu2Ph) but they are conveniently made by oxidation of mer-OsX3(QR3)3 (Q = P, As) with the halogen in CHC13, or CCI4 and refluxing. 

Considerable structural information is available on osmium complexes of tertiary phosphines, arsines and stibines (Table 1.13) [152, 157]. 

It is a volatile orange-red crystalline solid (m.p. 30°C), stable to over 100°C. On reduction with tertiary phosphines or sodium amalgam, Os(NBu )3 is formed, which is dimeric (ButN)2Os(/x-NBut)2Os(NBu )2. This can be oxidized to the osmium(VII) dication with concomitant shortening in the Os-Os distance from 3.1 to 2.68 A. 

A similar approach to the one described above was utilized for the formation of quinone methide derivatives of osmium.14 Reaction of OsCl2(PPh3)3 with a phenolic diphosphine ligand in the presence of Et3N resulted in phosphine exchange followed by C—H activation and deprotonation by the base to form the two isomeric QM... 

Second, as a logical development of the first approach, polyphosphazenes have been synthesized that bear phosphine units connected to aryloxy side groups (37). The phosphine units bind organometallic compounds, such as those of iron, cobalt, osmium, or ruthenium (38). In several cases, the catalytic activity of the metal is retained in the macromolecular system (39). A similar binding of transition metals has been accomplished through nido carboranyl units linked to a polyphosphazene chain (40). 

The structure of the styryl derivative Os ( ,)-CH=CHPh Cl(CO)(PIPr3)2 has been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis.33 In agreement with OsHCl(CO) (P Pr3)2, the coordination polyhedron around the osmium atom can be rationalized as square-pyramidal with the phosphines, mutually tram disposed, the chloride and the carbonyl group occupying the basal sites, and the alkenyl located at the... 

Considerable structural information is available on osmium complexes of tertiary phosphines, arsines and stibines (Table 1.13) [152, 157], Comparison with data (mainly obtained from EXAFS measurements) on osmium diarsine complexes (Table 1.14) shows that as the oxidation state increases, osmium-halogen bonds shorten whereas Os-P and Os-As bonds lengthen. Bond shortening is predicted for bonds with ionic character,... 

The Osmium cluster Os3(CO)12 and clusters in the presence of various phosphines and triphenylphosphite have been utilized for the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde and crotonaldehyde (Table 15.7) [36]. The results show that good yields of unsaturated alcohols can be obtained by using a large excess of phosphine at elevated hydrogenation temperatures. 

Phosphine complexes, osmium, 19 642 Phosphine coordination complexes, of uranium, 25 436 Phosphine derivatives, 19 28 Phosphine oxide(s), 11 495-496 19 66 predicted deviations from Raoult s law based on hydrogen-bonding interactions, 8 814t in salicylic acid manufacture, 22 8 Phosphine oxide diols/triols, 11 501 Phosphine selenides, 22 90 Phosphinic acid, 19 20, 54-55 Phosphinic anhydride, 11 499 Phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) proteins, 13 360 Phosphite esters, 19 20 Phosphites, in VDC polymer stabilization, 25 720... 

Ru3(CO)10(Ph2C2)2, and Ru3(CO)9(C2(Ph)2)3 (128). The dinuclear complex Ru2(CO)6(C2Ph2)2, containing a metallocyclopentadiene ring similar to that observed for both iron and osmium, is a further product in the reaction this does imply very similar structures for the trinuclear adducts to those observed for iron and osmium. The carbonyl reacts with tetracyclone to yield the complex Ru3(CO)i0(C2Ph2)2, which may be related to the osmium compounds discussed later. Phosphine substitution of the carbonyls in some of these compounds has been established. 

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