A nucleophilic niobium(V) nitride prepared by isocyanate decarbonylation

Abstract
Carbon monoxide is lost upon sodium amalgam reduction of [(OCN)Nb{N(R)Ar}3] [R = C(CD3)2CH3, Ar = C6H3Me2-3,5] to give crystallographically characterized [Na{NNb- [N(R)Ar]3}]2, a nucleophilic niobium(V) nitride which reacts with ClP(NMe2)2 and O(SO2CF3)2 to give P- and S-substituted imido complexes, respectively.