Synthesis, characterization and crystal structure of oxobis(p-thiocresolato)terpyridinerhenium(V), a new cationic, six-coordinate thiolato complex of rhenium

The new six-coordinate rhenium(V) complex, oxobis(p-thiocresolato)terpyridinerhenium(V), was synthesized from [ReO2(py)4]CF3SO3 and characterized by elemental analysis, thin-layer chromatography, FAB mass spectroscopy, IR and H-1 NMR of the perrhenate salt, as well as by a single crystal X-ray structure determination of the hexafluorophosphate salt. This characterization establishes the structure of the complex in both solid state and solution to be the symmetrical mer(N,N,N),trans(S, S) species in which the central N atom of the terpyridine ligand is situated trans to the Re = O linkage. The X-ray and NMR studies demonstrate that the solution and solid state structures are identical.