ORGANOMETALLIC MODELS FOR POSSIBLE FISCHER-TROPSCH INTERMEDIATES - SYNTHESIS, STRUCTURE, AND REACTIONS OF A FORMALDEHYDE COMPLEX OF OSMIUM

The interrelationship between organometallic chemistry, surface chemistry, and heterogeneous catalysis has been discussed by several authors. A recognized role for organometallic chemistry is to provide stable models for postulated surface species thus allowing structural studies to define precisely the geometrical features of the interaction between ligand (postulated as intermediate) and transition metal atom. For the Fischer-Tropsch reaction, various mechanisms have been considered and in a recent review Henrici-Olivé and Olivé put forward a plausible scheme which involves successive formation of formyl, formaldehyde, hydroxymethyl, carbene, and alkyl surface intermediates. Now that several transition metal formyl derivatives have been characterized, each of these bound intermediates is firmly grounded upon established organometallic precedents-with the notable exception of coordinated formaldehyde. In this paper we describe a crystalline osmium complex in which formaldehyde functions as a dihapto ligand. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.