Synthesis and crystal structure of a rhenium(V) complex containing a tridentate imido-coordinated Schiff base

The complex salt trans-[Re(mps)Cl(PPh₃)₂](ReO₄) (1) (H₃mps?=?N-(2-amino-3-methylphenyl)salicylideneimine) was prepared by reaction of trans-[ReOCl₃(PPh₃)₂] with a twofold molar excess of H₃mps. The compound was characterized by spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The results show that the trianionic ligand mps acts as a tridentate chelate via the doubly deprotonated amino nitrogen (which is present in 1 as an imide), the neutral imino nitrogen and the deprotonated phenolic oxygen atoms. The imido nitrogen and phenolate oxygen atoms coordinate trans to each other in a distorted octahedral geometry around the rhenium(V) centre.