Organometallic models of catalytic hydrodesulfurization: Re2(CO)10-promoted cleavage of C–S bonds in benzothiophene

Ultraviolet photolysis of hexanes solutions containing Re2(CO)10 and benzothiophene (BT) give the C–S cleavage product Re2(CO)7[η2(C2,C3)-μ2(C 2,S)-BT] 1 which reacts with PMe3 at room temperature to yield two phosphine-substituted products, 2 and 3, in which the fragmented BT ligand is partially displaced from the metals; molecular structures of 1, 2 and 3 are models for possible intermediates in the HDS of BT on catalyst surfaces.