Redox-Assisted Osmium-Promoted C–C Bond Activation of Alkylnitriles

The redox-assisted C­(sp)–C­(sp3) bond activation of alkylnitriles coordinated to osmium­(II) dihydride fragments has been performed with an osmium­(VI) polyhydride to liberate alkanes and generate dinuclear complexes formed by two osmium­(IV) polyhydride moieties linked by only one CN bridge. In addition, the bonding situation in these novel dinuclear species has been computationally studied.