Reactivity of [Re2(CO)8(MeCN)2] With 1-vinylimidazole: X-ray Structures of [Re2(CO)8{η1-NC3H3N(CH=CH2)}2] and [ReCl2(CO)2{η1-NC3H3N(CH=CH2)}2]

Treatment of [Re 2 (CO) 8 (MeCN) 2 ] with excess 1-vinylimidazole in refluxing benzene gives three new compounds [Re 2 (CO) 9 { η 1 -NC 3 H 3 N(CH=CH 2 )}] ( 1 ), [Re 2 (CO) 8 { η 1 -NC 3 H 3 N(CH=CH 2 )} 2 ] ( 2 ) and [ReCl 2 (CO) 2 { η 1 -NC 3 H 3 N(CH=CH 2 )} 2 ] ( 3 ) in 11, 32 and 2% yields, respectively. The solid-state structures of complexes 2 and 3 have been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Compound 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C 2/ c , with lattice parameters a = 13.8378(5) Å, b = 11.8909(5) Å, c = 14.4591(6) Å, β = 116.6470(10)°, Z = 4 and V = 2131.99(15) Å 3 . Compound 3 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C 2/ c , with lattice parameters a = 10.1028(3) Å, b = 13.5640(5) Å, c = 12.5398(4) Å, β = 109.637(2)°, Z = 4 and V = 1618.4(9) Å 3 . The disubstituted dinuclear compound 2 contains two 1-vinylimidazole ligands coordinated through the imino nitrogen atoms at the equatorial sites, whereas the mononuclear compound 3 contains two carbonyl ligands, two N coordinated η 1 -1-vinylimidazole ligands and two terminal Cl ligands. Graphical Abstract Two dinuclear complesxes [Re 2 (CO) 9 { η 1 -NC 3 H 3 N(CH=CH 2 )}] ( 1 ) and [Re 2 (CO) 8 { η 1 -NC 3 H 3 N(CH=CH 2 )} 2 ] ( 2 ) and the mononuclear [ReCl 2 (CO) 2 { η 1 -NC 3 H 3 N(CH=CH 2 )} 2 ] ( 3 ) were obtained from the reaction of [Re 2 (CO) 8 (MeCN) 2 ] with excess 1-vinylimidazole at 80 °C. The X-ray structrures of 2 and 3 are described.