Thermolysis of [O~~(CO),~(dpprn)] (dppm = Ph2PCH2PPh2) in refluxing toluene affords a high yield of the unsaturated cluster [OS~(CO)~(H){ Ph2PCH2P(Ph)C6H4}] which has been characterised by X-ray crystallography, and which undergoes a facile reversible reaction with CO.

Treatment of [ O S ~( C O ) ~( H ) { P ~~P C H ~P ( P ~) C ~H ~} ]with H2 affords a high yield of the unsaturated cluster [OS~(CO),(H)~-(Ph2PCH2PPh2)] which has been characterised by X-ray crystallography.

Treatment of the unsaturated triosmium cluster O S ~( ~-H ) ( C O ) ~{ pPh2PCH2P(Ph)C6H4} with diphenylacetylene leads to the formation of O S ~( C O ) ~( P ~C X P ~) ( P ~~P C H ~P P ~~) , in which the alkyne ligand is bonded in a p3-q2(L) mode, as shown by an X-ray crystal structure determination.

No abstract

Laue diffraction patterns, using the full white beam from a synchrotron source, can be recorded on film with exposure times of 1 s or less; a comparatively small number of photographs taken with the crystal in different orientations can record a large proportion of the unique reflections, allowing a crystal structure to be determined fully from a set of films recorded within a period of 1-10 minutes.