Synthesis,Molecular and Crystal Structure of a Second Rhenium Trichloride Hydrate: [Re3Cl9(H2O)3] · 10 H2O

The decahydrate of [Re₃Cl₉(H₂O)₃] is obtained from aqueous solutions of ReCl₃ at zero to -5°C. The crystal structure (orthorhombic, Pnma, Z = 4; a = 1125.16(3), b = 1 630.30(5), c = 1 378.84(5) pm) has been determined from single-crystal X-ray diffractometer data. The [Re₃Cl₉(H₂O)₃] molecules are stacked in the [0 1 0] direction and the rows of such molecules are separated by the crystal water molecules. Together with the water ligands, these form a rather strong hydrogen bonding system judging from O? O distances (d = 277 pm) alone.