Photolysis of aqueous [Os(NH3)5(N2)]2+: Dismutation of coordinated dinitrogen

Aqueous [OsII(NH3)5(N2)]2+ undergoes a photolysis with UV light (λirr = 254 nm). The main photoreaction proceeds according to the equation: [OsII(NH3)5(N2)]2+ + O2 → [OsVI(NH3)4N]3+ + NO 2 - + NH3. The photolysis can thus be viewed as photodismutation of the coordinated N2 ligand yielding N−III (nitride) and N+III (nitrite). This reaction is coupled with an additional redox process: (OsII + O2 → OsVI + 2O2−).