Developing the {M(CO)3}+ core for fluorescence applications: Rhenium tricarbonyl core complexes with benzimidazole, quinoline, and tryptophan derivatives

Tridentate ligands derived from benzimidazole, quinoline, and tryptophan have been synthesized, and their reactions with NEt4]2Re(CO)3Br3] have been investigated. The complexes 1-4 and 6 and 7 exhibit fac-{Re(CO)3N3} coordination geometry in the cationic molecular units, while 5 exhibits fac-{Re(CO)3N2O} coordination for the neutral molecular unit, where N3 and N2O refer to the ligand donor groups. The ligands bis(1-methyl-1H-benzoimidazol-2-ylmethyl)amine (L1), bis(1-methyl-1H-benzoimidazol-2-ylmethyl)amino]acetic acid ethyl ester (L2), bis(1-methyl-1H-benzoimidazol-2-ylmethy)amino]acetic acid methyl ester (L3), bis(quinolin-2-ylmethyl)amino]acetic acid methyl ester (L4), 3-(1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-2-(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino]propionic acid (L5), 2-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino]-3-(1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)propionic acid (L6), and 2-bis(quinolin-2-ylmethyl)amino]-3-(1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)propionic acid (L7) were obtained in good yields and characterized by elemental analysis, 1D and 2D NMR, and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The rhenium complexes were obtained in 70-85% yields and characterized by elemental analysis, 1D and 2D NMR, HRMS, IR, UV, and luminescence spectroscopy, as well as X-ray crystallography for Re(CO)3(L1)]Br (1), {Re(CO)3(L2)]Br}2.NEt4Br . 8.5H2O (3(2).NEt4Br . 8.5H2O), Re(CO)3(L4)]Br (4), and Re(CO)3(L6)]Br (6). Crystal data for C21H19BrN5O3Re (1): monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 13.1851(5) A, b = 16.1292(7) A, c = 10.2689(4) A, beta = 99.353(1) degrees , V = 2154.8(2) A3, Z = 4. Crystal data for C56H73Br3N11O18.50 Re2 (3(2).NEt4Br . 8.5H2O): monoclinic, C2/c, a = 34.7760(19) A, b = 21.1711(12) A, c = 20.3376(11) A, beta = 115.944(1) degrees , V = 13464.5(1) A3, Z = 8. Crystal data for C26H21BrN3O5Re (4): monoclinic, P2(1)/c, a = 16.6504(6) A, b = 10.1564(4) A, c = 14.6954(5) A, beta = 96.739(1) degrees , V = 2467.9(2) A3, Z = 4. Crystal data for C27H24BrN4O5Re (6): monoclinic, P2(1), a = 8.7791(9) A, b = 16.312(2) A, c = 8.9231(9) A, beta = 90.030(1) degrees , V = 1277.8(2) A3, Z = 2.