Nucleophilic addition of water to coordinated dipyridylethylene in rhenium(V) complexes

Complexes of general formula [ReOX₂{(C₅H₄N)CH(O)CH₂(C₅H₄N)}] (X?=?Cl,?I) were prepared by reaction of trans-[ReOCl₃(PPh₃)₂] and trans-[ReOI₂(OEt)(PPh₃)₂] with cis-1,2-di-(2-pyridyl)ethylene (DPE) in ethanol and benzene in air. The coordinated DPE ligand undergoes addition of water at the ethylenic carbon atoms, and the (C₅H₄N)CH(O)CH₂(C₅H₄N) moiety acts as a uninegative terdentate N,O,N-donor ligand. X-ray crystal structures of both complexes have been determined and show distorted octahedral geometry at the rhenium(V) centre.