Synthesis of a ‘4+1’ Re(V) complex from Re(III), and its disproportionation to Re(IV) and Re(VII)

The distorted octahedral oxorhenium(V) complex [ReOCl(had)] (1) (H2had = N,N-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-2-(2-aminoethyl)dimethylamine) was prepared from the oxidation of [ReCl3(MeCN)(PPh3)2] by dioxygen in the presence of H2had in ethanol. This reaction was done under reflux conditions for a relatively short reaction time of an hour. However, increasing the reaction period to seven days led to the disproportionation of 1 to [ReIVCl(had)(PPh3)](ReVIIO4) (2). Both compounds were characterized by infra-red spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. KEY WORDS: Oxidation, Rhenium(III), Oxorhenium(V), Disproportionation, X-ray structures Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2010, 24(3), 411-416.