Photochemical Reaction of Decacarbonyldirhenium with Thiophene and Crystal Structure of Tetradecacarbonylhydridotrirhenium

The photochemical reaction of Re₂(CO)₁₀ with thiophene in hexane solution was investigated under vacuum. Three rhenium clusters: H₂Re₃(CO)₁₂, HRe₃(CO)₁₄ and Re₃(CO)₁₄(OH)₄, were isolated. The structure of Fellmann-Kaesz cluster Complex HRe₃(CO)₁₄ was determined by use of the X-ray diffraction method. The three rhenium atoms form a plane of symmetry and L: Re₁Re₂Re₃ is 107°. The ten carbonyl groups bonded to the two terminal rhenium atoms Re₁ and Re₃, are staggered with respect to the central rhenium atoms. The bond lengths are 3.10 Å for Re₂-Re₃ and 3.34 Å for Re₁-Re₂. The bridging hydride is between Re₁ and Re₂.