Complex OsH 4 {κ 3 -P,O,P-[xant(P i Pr 2 ) 2 ]} (1) activates the Si−H bond of triethylsilane, triphenylsilane, and 1,1,1,3,5,5,5-heptamethyltrisiloxane to give the silyl-osmium(IV)trihydride derivatives OsH 3 (SiR 3 ){κ 3 -P,O,P-[xant(P i Pr 2 ) 2 ]} [SiR 3 = SiEt 3 (2), SiPh 3 (3), SiMe(OSiMe 3 ) 2 (4)] and H 2 . The activation takes place via an unsaturated tetrahydride intermediate, resulting from the dissociation of the oxygen atom of the pincer ligand 9,9-dimethyl-4,5-bis(diisopropylphosphino)xanthene (xant-(P i Pr 2 ) 2 ). This intermediate, which has been trapped to form OsH 4 {κ 2 -P,P-[xant(P i Pr 2 ) 2 ]}(P i Pr 3 ) (5), coordinates the Si−H bond of the silanes to subsequently undergo a homolytic cleavage. Kinetics of the reaction along with the observed primary isotope effect demonstrates that the Si−H rupture is the rate-determining step of the activation. Complex 2 reacts with 1,1-diphenyl-2-propyn-1-ol and 1-phenyl-1-propyne. The reaction with the former affords Os{C�CC(OH)Ph 2 } 2 {�C�CHC(OH)Ph 2 }{κ 3 -P,O,P-[xant(P i Pr 2 ) 2 ]} (6), which catalyzes the conversion of the propargylic alcohol into (E)-2-(5,5-diphenylfuran-2(5H)-ylidene)-1,1-diphenylethan-1-ol, via (Z)-enynediol. In methanol, the hydroxyvinylidene ligand of 6 dehydrates to allenylidene, generating Os{C�CC(OH)Ph 2 } 2 {�C�C�CPh 2 }{κ 3 -P,O,P-[xant(P i Pr 2 ) 2 ]} (7). The reaction of 2 with 1-phenyl-1-propyne leads to OsH{κ 1 -C,η 2 -[C 6 H 4 CH 2 CH�CH 2 ]}{κ 3 -P,O,P-[xant(P i Pr 2 ) 2 ]} (8) and PhCH 2 CH�CH(SiEt 3 ).