The series of complexes
[OsII(CN)5L]
n
-,
with L = pyridine or pyrazine derivatives, were prepared in
aqueous
solution and, in some cases, as sodium or potassium salts. The
main feature in the UV−visible spectra is the
appearance of an intense, asymmetric MLCT band, split under
spin−orbit coupling. The energies and intensities
of the MLCT bands decrease and increase, respectively, with the
electron-acceptor ability of L, and strong
solvatochromic energy shifts are observed in different organic media.
The Os(II) complexes can be oxidized
chemically or electrochemically to the Os(III) species; the latter
show typical LMCT bands in the visible region,
independent of L. The redox potentials for the
OsIII,II couples (range 0.6−1.0 V (NHE)), shift
positively when
L becomes more electron-withdrawing or less basic. Reduction
potentials for the bound and free Mepz+
ligand
showed similar values, ca. −0.53 V (NHE), for the three
[M(CN)5L]
n
-
complexes, suggesting similar back-bonding abilities of Fe, Ru, and Os toward a given L ligand; this is
confirmed by the linear plots with unit slope
obtained for the energy of the MLCT bands of the
[M(CN)5L]
n
-
complexes (M = Fe, Ru) against the values for
the
[Os(CN)5L]
n
-
complexes. The IR spectra show intense and weak bands at ca. 2050
and 2100 cm-1, associated
with equatorial and axial cyanide stretchings, respectively. The
dissociation rate constant for pyrazine release
from the [Os(CN)5pz]3- ion
shows a saturation kinetic behavior, typical of dissociative mechanisms
found for the
iron and ruthenium analog complexes; the specific dissociation rate
constant, k
-
pz = 2.0 ×
10-8 s-1 (25 °C,
I =
0.5 M), is about 3 and 4 orders of magnitude slower than the values
found for [Ru(CN)5pz]3-
and
[Fe(CN)5pz]3-,
respectively; this is ascribed mainly to the strong σ interaction in
the Os−L bond.