Thermal and photochemical reactivity of Os(HNO)(CO)Cl2(PPh3)2: Evidence for photochemical HNO generation

Photolysis of the nitroxyl complex Os(N(O)H)(CO)Cl2(PPh3)2 shows multiple products that are interpreted in terms of two competing, primary photoreactions, the reversible dissociation of HNO (which dimerizes to N2O) and the dissociation of CO. The relative yields of products varied depending on whether or not excess CO was present.