Formation of μ-dinitrogen (salen)osmium complexes via ligand-induced N···N coupling of (salen)osmium(VI) nitrides.

Treatment of [N(n)Bu(4)][Os(VI)(N)Cl(4)] with a stoichiometric amount of H(2)L (L = N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-o-cyclohexylenediamine dianion) in the presence of PF(6)(-) or ClO(4)(-) in MeOH affords [Os(VI)(N)(L)(OH(2))](PF(6)) 1a and [Os(VI)(N)(L)(CH(3)OH)](ClO(4)) 1b, respectively. The structure of 1b has been determined by X-ray crystallography and the Os≡N bond distance is 1.627(3) Å. In the presence of a N-donor heterocyclic ligand in CH(3)CN, 1a reacts at room temperature to afford the mixed-valence μ-N(2) (salen)osmium species [(X)(L)Os(III)-N≡N-Os(II)(L)(X)](PF(6)), 2-14 (X = py 2; 4-Mepy 3; 4-(t)Bupy 4; pz 5; 3-Mepz 6; 3,5-Me(2)pz 7; Im 8; 1-MeIm 9; 2-MeIm 10; 4-MeIm 11; 1,2-Me(2)Im 12; 2-Meozl 13; 4-MeTz 14). These complexes are formed by ligand-induced N···N coupling of two [Os(VI)≡N](+) to give initially [Os(III)-N(2)-Os(III)](2+), which is then reduced to give the more stable mixed-valence species [Os(III)-N(2)-Os(II)](+). Cyclic voltammograms (CVs) of 2-14 show two reversible couples, attributed to Os(III,III)/Os(III,II) and Os(III,II)/Os(II,II). The large comproportionation constants (K(com)) of (5.36-82.3) × 10(13) indicate charge delocalization in these complexes. The structures of 3 and 14 have been determined by X-ray crystallography, the salen ligands are in uncommon cis-β configuration. Oxidations of 4 and 14 by [Cp(2)Fe](PF(6)) afford the symmetrical species [(X)(L)Os(III)-N≡N-Os(III)(L)(X)](PF(6))(2) (X = 4-(t)Bupy 15; 4-MeTz 16). These are the first stable μ-N(2) diosmium(III,III) complexes that have been characterized by X-ray crystallography.