Metrics & MoreArticle Recommendations * sı Supporting InformationABSTRACT: [Co(L)(CO) 3 ] 2 (L = CO or PR 3 ) catalyzed hydroformylation of olefins is among the most successful homogeneous organometallic catalysis. The bimetallic [Co(L)(CO) 3 ] 2 complex exists in equilibrium with its mononuclear 17electron [Co(L)(CO) 3 ] metalloradical. However, isolation of the mononuclear metalloradical is unknown, and hence the role of this species in the catalytic cycle is difficult to study. Herein, we report the isolation of [Co(L)(CO) 3 ] using ringexpanded N-heterocyclic carbene (reNHC) ligands. Isolation of this complex enabled us to examine feasibility of putative termolecular H 2 activation by the [Co(L)(CO) 3 ] metalloradicals. The kinetic experiments revealed that [Co(reNHC)(CO) 3 ] does not activate H 2 via a previously proposed termolecular mechanism but via a bimolecular mechanism. The result obtained here will contribute to design a cobalt carbonyl complex that activates H 2 under mild conditions and to develop a more energy efficient oxo process based on economical cobalt catalysts.