Luminescent Rhenium(I) Carbon Wires: Synthesis, Photophysics, and Electrochemistry. X-ray Crystal Structure of [Re(tBu2bpy)(CO)3(C⋮CC⋮C)Re(tBu2bpy)(CO)3]

[Re( t Bu 2 bpy)(CO) 3 (C⋮CC⋮C)Re( t Bu 2 bpy)(CO) 3 ], which consists of an extended linear O⋮C Re C⋮C C⋮C Re C⋮O unit, has been synthesized by the coupling of two [Re( t Bu 2 bpy)(CO) 3 (C⋮CH)] units; both of these complexes and the related [Re( t Bu 2 bpy)(CO) 3 (C⋮CC 6 H 13 )] complex are shown to exhibit rich photophysical behavior. The electrochemical properties of these complexes have also been studied. The X-ray crystal structure of [Re( t Bu 2 bpy)(CO) 3 (C⋮CC⋮C)Re( t Bu 2 bpy)(CO) 3 ] has been determined.