Phenylimidorhenium(V) Complexes with 1,3‐Diethyl‐4,5‐dimethylimidazole‐2‐ ylidene Ligands

The phenylimidorhenium(V) complexes [Re(NPh)X3(PPh3)2] (X = Cl, Br) react with the N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) 1,3‐diethyl‐4,5‐dimethylimidazole‐2‐ylidene (LEt) under formation of the stable rhenium(V) complex cations [Re(NPh)X(LEt)4]2+ (X = Cl, Br), which can be isolated as their chloride or [PF6]− salts. The compounds are remarkably stable against air, moisture and ligand exchange. The hydroxo species [Re(NPh)(OH)(LEt)4]2+ is formed when moist solvents are used during the synthesis. The rhenium atoms in all three complexes are coordinated in a distorted octahedral fashion with the four NHC ligands in equatorial planes of the molecules. The Re–C(carbene) bond lengths between 2.171(8) and 2.221(3) Å indicate mainly σ‐bonding between the NHC ligand and the electron deficient d2 metal atoms. Attempts to prepare analogous phenylimido complexes from [Re(NPh)Cl3(PPh3)2] and 1,3‐diisopropyl‐4,5‐dimethylimidazole‐2‐ylidene (Li−Pr) led to a cleavage of the rhenium‐nitrogen multiple bond and the formation of the dioxo complex [ReO2(Li−Pr)4]+.