Synthesis and structure of the 2-(chlorophenylazo)pyridine chelated tricarbonylrhenium(I) complex and its anion radical derivatives <Emphasis Type="Italic">via</Emphasis> electrochemical reduction

Reacting Re(CO)₅Cl with the azopyridine ligand (1) (L) in boiling benzene afford the complex Re(CO)₃Cl(L), (2) in excellent yield L=2-(p-Cl-C₆H₄NN)C₅H₄N]. The chelation of the azopyridine ligand accompanied by displacement of the two carbon monoxide ligands furnish a five-membered chelate ring. Structure determination of complex (2) has revealed a distorted octahedral ReC₃N₂Cl coordination sphere. The Re–N(pyridine) and, Re–N(azo) distances are 2.158(3) and 2.153(6) Å respectively, and the N–N length 1.273(4) Å], implicate relatively weak Re-azo(π*) back–bonding. The Re(CO)₃Cl(L) lattice consists of C–H...Cl hydrogen bonding and Cl...O non-bonded interactions constituting a supramolecular network. Extended Hückel calculations reveal that the LUMO of Re(CO)₃Cl(L) is Ca. 57% azo in character. One-electron quasireversible electrochemical reduction of the complex occurs near −0.3 V versus Saturated Calomel electrode(s.c.e.) The redox orbital is believed to belong to the above noted LUMO. Electrogenerated Re(CO)₃Cl(L^•–) underwent spontaneous solvolytic chloride displacement in MeCN, resulting in the isolation of Re(CO)₃(MeCN)(L^•–). The latter complex in turn reacted with imidazole and triphenylphosphine, furnishing Re(CO)₃(C₃H₄N₂)(L^•–) and Re(CO)₃(PPh₃)(L^•–), respectively. The pattern of carbonyl stretching frequencies of these radical anion complexes is similar to that of Re(CO)₃Cl(L) but with shifts to lower frequencies by 10–20 cm⁻¹. All three radical anion systems are one-electron paramagnetic (1.7–1.8 μ_B). The unpaired electron is primarily localized on the azoheterocycle ligand in a predominantly azo-π* orbital, but a small metal contribution (^{185, 187}Re, I=5/2) is also present. Thus Re(CO)₃(MeCN)(L^•–) and Re(CO)₃(C₃H₄N₂)(L^•–) display six-line e.p.r. spectra (A ˜ 28 G). The line shapes and intensities are characteristic of the presence of g-strain. In the case of Re(CO)₃(PPh₃)(L^•–) seven nearly equispaced lines are observed due to virtually equal coupling between the metal and ³¹P (I=&frac;) nuclei. The g-values of the radical species are slightly higher than the free-electron value of 2.0023.