Oxidative C-O bond cleavage of dihydroxybenzenes and conversion of coordinated cyanide to carbon monoxide using a luminescent Os() cyanonitrido complex

The photoreactions of a luminescent osmium( vi ) nitrido complex, [Os VI (N)(L)(CN) 3 ] − ( OsN , HL = 2-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenyl)benzoxazole), with catechol (H 2 Cat) and hydroquinone (H 2 Q) lead to the cleavage of strong C-OH bonds ( ca. 120 kcal mol −1 ) of the dihydroxybenzenes with concomitant conversion of the coordinated cyanide to carbon monoxide. The photoreactions of OsN and dihydroxybenzenes lead to C-O bond cleavage of H 2 Q/H 2 Cat, accompanied by the conversion of the coordinated CN − into CO.