The isolable 16-electron half-sandwich Os complex [OsBr(η 5 -C 5 Me 5 )(PiPr 3 )] has been synthesized and structurally characterized. This unsaturated complex binds N 2 reversibly at lowThe stable 16-electron complexes [RuClCp*(PR 3 )] (Cp* ϭ η 5 -C 5 Me 5 ; R ϭ iPr, Cy) were reported in 1988. [1] These complexes, prepared by addition of the appropriate phosphane in one step from the tetrameric ruthenium species [RuClCp*] 4 , [2] have proven to be valuable starting materials for the synthesis of various silyl, [3] silene, [4] and metallacyclic [5] complexes. Analogous 16-electron complexes of osmium are also expected to be useful synthons, but they have yet to be reported. The synthesis of coordinatively unsaturated [OsXCp*(PR 3 )] species would seem to require a method other than that used to prepare the related ruthenium complexes, as the osmium analog of [RuClCp*] 4 is not known. However, Esteruelas and co-workers have recently reported [6] the preparation of an 18-electron complex, [OsClCp(PiPr 3 ) 2 ], which dissociates a phosphane ligand in solution to form an unsaturated species that activates EϪH bonds (E ϭ C, Si, Ge, Sn). [7,8] Addition of two equiv. of triisopropylphosphane to a stirred CH 2 Cl 2 solution of [Os 2 Br 4 Cp* 2 ] [9] effected a rapid color change from dark brown to black-cherry red. Removal of all volatile components of the mixture, washing with ether, and drying under vacuum afforded a pale pink-red solid which was soluble in toluene and dichloromethane. Three broad, featureless resonances spread over a range of greater than 30 ppm in the 1 H NMR spectrum (CD 2 Cl 2 , room temperature) were consistent with a paramagnetic 17-electron complex formulated as [OsBr 2 Cp*(PiPr 3 )] (1); however, a CH 2 Cl 2 solution of 1 gave no detectable EPR signal at room temperature, and only below 100 K was an extremely broad signal (with no detectable hyperfine coupling) observed. A Signer molecular weight determination [10,11] (room temperature, CH 2 Cl 2 solution) confirmed the monomeric nature of the complex in solution.Treatment of a THF solution of 1 with a stoichiometric amount of 0.3% Na/Hg amalgam resulted in a striking color change from red-black to purple. Removal of all volatile materials and recrystallization from pentane at Ϫ78°C provided dendritic, translucent, red-orange crystals. Upon [a] 2747 temperature as determined by IR and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. The reactions of the title complex with CO, H 2 , PhSiH 3 , and its thermolysis in C 6 H 6 are reported.isolation and warming to room temperature, these crystals became purple and opaque. Repeated attempts to obtain Xray diffraction data on these purple crystals failed. However, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and combustion analysis allowed characterization of this compound as the 16-electron species [OsBrCp*(PiPr 3 )] (2).To characterize the origin of the temperature-dependent color change associated with 2, a [D 8 ]toluene solution of 2 was cooled to Ϫ78°C under an atmosphere of nitrogen. This resulted in a color change from purple...