SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A NEW BINARY DECA-OSMIUM CARBONYL CLUSTER ANION - AN INTERMEDIATE IN THE FORMATION OF OTHER HIGH-NUCLEARITY OSMIUM CARBONYL CLUSTERS - CRYSTAL AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE OF (PH4P)2[OS10(CO)26]

The common precursor 1 to the pyrolysis products of [Os3(CO)10(NCMe)2] (2 and 3) was isolated when the reaction was performed under less extreme conditions. The pyrolysis of 1 itself (counterion Ph4P+) at 300-degrees-C gave 2 and 3 in good yield, proving its intermediacy in the reaction. The identification of 1 is a key contribution to the understanding of cluster assembly.