Infrared spectra and theoretical calculations for Fe, Ru, and Os metal hydrides and dihydrogen complexes.

Laser-ablated iron, ruthenium, and osmium atoms react with hydrogen in excess argon, neon and pure hydrogen to produce the FeH(2) molecule, and the FeH(2)(H(2))(3), RuH(H(2))(4), RuH(2)(H(2))(4), and (H(2))MH complexes (M = Fe, Ru, Os), as identified through infrared spectra with D(2) and HD substitution. DFT frequency calculations support the assignment of absorptions observed experimentally. The FeH(2) molecule has a quintet ground state with a quasi-linear structure, and is repulsive to the addition of one more H(2) ligand: however, with three more H(2) ligands, stable triplet and singlet state FeH(2)(H(2))(3) supercomplexes can be formed. The quintet FeH(2) molecule and FeH(2)(H(2))(3) supercomplex undergo reversible near-ultraviolet photochemical rearrangement in solid neon and hydrogen. The RuH(2) molecule has a bent triplet ground state and forms the stable singlet RuH(2)(H(2))(4) supercomplex, but only the latter is observed in these experiments. In like fashion RuH has a quartet ground state and the doublet RuH(H(2))(4) complex is trapped in solid hydrogen. All three (H(2))MH complexes with lower energy than MH(3) are trapped, and no absorptions are observed for MH(3) molecules.