Alkylrhenium Oxides from Perrhenates: A New, Economical Access to Organometallic Oxide Catalysts

Abstract

Methyltrioxorhenium in an Erlenmeyer flask: An in situ activation with chloroalkylsilanes converts readily available perrhenates into organorhenium(VII) oxides (as depicted below), which are valuable and diverse homogeneous catalysts. Reaction intermediates are trimethylsilyl perrhenate, dirhenium heptoxide, and chlorotrioxorhenium. The application of methyltrioxorhenium CH3ReO3 (1) in industrial processes might become feasible, particularly since the catalyst can be recycled.