Re(V) and Re(III) complexes with sal2phen and triphenylphosphine: rearrangement, oxidation and reduction.

Reactions of Re(V), tetradentate Schiff base complexes with tertiary phosphines have previously yielded both rearranged Re(V) and reduced Re(III) complexes. To further understand this chemistry, the rigid diiminediphenol (N(2)O(2)) Schiff base ligand sal(2)phen (N,N'-o-phenylenebis(salicylaldimine)) was reacted with (n-Bu(4)N)[ReOCl(4)] to yield trans-[ReOCl(sal(2)phen)] (1). On reaction with triphenylphosphine (PPh(3)), a rearranged Re(V) product cis-[ReO(PPh(3))(sal(2)phen*)]PF(6) (2), in which one of the imines was reduced to an amine during the reaction, and the reduced Re(III) products trans-[ReCl(PPh(3))(sal(2)phen)] (4) and trans-[Re(PPh(3))(2)(sal(2)phen)](+) (5) were isolated.