Synthesis,Crystal Structure and Spectroscopic Characterisation of Mono‐ and Dinuclear 5,5‐Diethylbarbiturato Complexes of Chromium(0) and Rhenium(I)

Addition of 5,5‐diethylbarbituric acid (H₂debarb, 1 ) to [CpCr(NO)₂Cl], [Re(CO)₅Br] or [(PPh₃)Re(CO)₄Br] in the presence of triethylamine and AgO₃SCF₃ (= AgOTf) resulted in the mono‐barbiturato complexes [CpCr(NO)₂(Hdebarb)] ( 2 ), [PPh₃Re(CO)₄(Hdebarb)] ( 3 ) and [Re(CO)₅(Hdebarb)] ( 4 ), respectively. Bis‐barbiturato complex [{(CO)₅Re}₂(debarb)] ( 5 ) with a doubly deprotonated barbiturate dianion formed when a molar ratio of metal complex to ligand of 2:1 was used. In the case of the rhenium complexes, AgO₃SCF₃ must be used additionally to cleave off bromide. All of the complexes were fully characterised by means of IR, mass and ¹H, ¹³C and ³¹P NMR spectra and elemental analysis. In addition, their solid‐state structures were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies. The complexes exhibit distorted pseudo‐tetrahedral ( 2 ) or pseudo‐octahedral ( 3 – 5 ) configuration around the metal atom. In all complexes the ring system of the Hdebarb ligand is essentially planar.