Reactivity of [Re[kappa(3)-H(mu-H)B(tim(Me))(2)](CO)(3)] (tim(Me) = 2-mercapto-1-methylimidazolyl) toward neutral substrates

The complex Rekappa(3)-H(mu-H)B(tim(Me))(2)](CO)(3)] (2a) (tim(Me) = 2-mercapto-1-methylimidazolyl) reacts with a variety of neutral substrates to afford new complexes featuring the dihydrobis(2-mercapto-1-methylimidazolyl)borate coordinated in a bidentate or unidentate fashion. By treating 2a with unidentate ligands, the mononuclear complexes Rekappa(2)-H(2)B(tim(Me))(2)](CO)(3)(L)] (L = imidazole (5), 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (6), tert-butylisonitrile (7), triphenylphosphine (8)) were formed, upon replacement of the agostic B-H...Re bond by the correspondent unidentate ligand. With potentially bidentate substrates, 2a is transformed into mononuclear or dinuclear complexes, depending on the atom donor set of the reacting substrates. Reaction of compound 2a with ethylenediamine (en) gave the complex Rekappa(1)-H(2)B(tim(Me))(2)](CO)(3)(en)] (9), because of cleavage of the agostic interaction, dechelation of one mercaptoimidazolyl ring, and bidentate coordination of the amine. By contrast, 1,2-bis(diphenyl)phosphinoethane (dppe) is not able to replace the mercaptoimidazolyl ring, and the dimer Rekappa(2)-H(2)B(tim(Me))(2)](CO)(3)](2)(mu-dppe) (10) was formed. The novel Re(I) tricarbonyl complexes (5-10) have been fully characterized, including by X-ray diffraction analysis in the case of 6, 8, 9, and 10. The X-ray diffraction study confirmed the unprecedented unidentate coordination mode of the dihydrobis(2-mercapto-1-methylimidazolyl)borate in complex 9.