Preparations, Characterizations, and Structures of (Biimidazole)dihalobis(triphenylphosphine)rhenium(III) Salts:  Strong Ion-Pairing and Acid−Base Properties

Two-electron reduction occurs when the Re(V) precursors ReOX3(PPh3)2 and ReO(OEt)X2(PPh3)2 are reacted with biimidazole (biimH2) in boiling chloroform, affording rhenium(III) cationic complexes of the type cis,trans-[ReX2(PPh3)2(biimH2)]X with X = Cl, Br, and I. Crystal structures are determined for the compounds with the three halogens, as well as for the [ReCl2(PPh3)2(biimH2)](benzoate) salt. In all cases, the counterion is attached to the complex cation via hydrogen bonding with the N-H groups of coordinated biimidazole. Variable-temperature 1H NMR spectroscopy shows that a mixture of [ReCl2(PPh3)2(biimH2)](benzoate) and [ReCl2(PPh3)2(biimH2)]Cl is in slow exchange below -50 degrees C in CD2Cl2, indicating that ion pairing is retained in solution. Both N-H groups can be deprotonated with sodium methoxide, and their acidities are evaluated from UV-visible spectra. Competition between monodeprotonated [ReCl2(PPh3)2(biimH)] and various carboxylic acids reveals that the acidity of the first N-H proton corresponds to that of acetic acid (pKa(aq) approximately 4.8). By a similar competitive reaction between bis-deprotonated [ReCl2(PPh3)2(biim)]- and phenols, the second acidity is estimated to be close to that of phenol (pKa(aq) approximately 9.8).