Nucleophilic addition of water to coordinated dipyridylethylene in rhenium(V) complexes

Abstract

Complexes of general formula [ReOX2{(C5H4N)CH(O)CH2(C5H4N)}] (X = Cl, I) were prepared by reaction of trans-[ReOCl3(PPh3)2] and trans-[ReOI2(OEt)(PPh3)2] with cis-1,2-di-(2-pyridyl)ethylene (DPE) in ethanol and benzene in air. The coordinated DPE ligand undergoes addition of water at the ethylenic carbon atoms, and the (C5H4N)CH(O)CH2(C5H4N) moiety acts as a uninegative terdentate N,O,N-donor ligand. X-ray crystal structures of both complexes have been determined and show distorted octahedral geometry at the rhenium(V) centre.