Bridging phenyl ligands. Unsaturated mercury-triosmium carbonyl cluster complexes containing bridging phenyl ligands

The gold phosphine group in Os3(CO)10(μ-η2-Ph)(μ-AuPPh3), 1 can be replaced by reactions with HgI2 and HgCl2 to yield the compounds [Os3(CO)10(μ-Ph)(μ-HgI)]4, 2 and Os4(CO)13(μ-Ph)(μ-Cl)3, 3 respectively. When heated 2 is transformed into the benzyne containing complex [Os3(CO)9(μ3-C6H4)(μ-H)(μ3-Hg)]2Os(CO)4, 4.