The Cluster Polyazide Complexes: Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and 14N NMR Studies of [{Re3(μ-X)3}(N3)9]3- (X = Br or I)

Azide cluster complexes [{Re₃(μ-Br)₃}(N₃)₉]^3- and [{Re₃(μ-I)₃}(N₃)₉]^3- were obtained by reaction of Re₃X₉ (X = Br or I, respectively) with sodium azide in methanol. The complexes were crystallized as cesium salts of the compositions Cs₃[{Re₃(μ-Br)₃}(N₃)₉]·H₂O (1) and Cs₃[{Re₃(μ-I)₃}(N₃)₉]·H₂O (2) and characterized by X-ray single-crystal diffraction and elemental analyses, mass spectrometry, ¹⁴N NMR spectroscopy, and DFT calculations. In the anions, each rhenium atom is coordinated by three azide ligands. To the best of our knowledge, these compounds represent the first case of metal cluster polyazide complexes (i.e., where each metal atom bears more than one azide ligand). Both complexes are stable in air but are very shock sensitive, and spontaneous explosive decomposition is also possible.

Stabilization of Re37+/Re38+ Metalloclusters by Cyanide Ligands in New Trinuclear Rhenium Cluster Complexes [{Re3X3}(CN)9]4-/[{Re3X3}(CN)9]5- (X = Br or I)

The interaction of rhenium(III) halides Re₃Br₉ and Re₃I₉ with aqueous solution of sodium cyanide resulted in the formation of the first trinuclear halide-cyanide rhenium cluster complexes [{Re₃X₃}(CN)₉]^5-/[{Re₃X₃}(CN)₉]^4- (X = Br or I) crystallized as salts of the compositions Cs₄Na[{Re₃Br₃}(CN)₉]·5.25H₂O (1), Cs₄Na[{Re₃I₃}(CN)₉]·6H₂O (2), Cs₄[{Re₃Br₃}(CN)₉]·2H₂O·0.5CsCl (3), and Cs₄[{Re₃I₃}(CN)₉]·(4). All of the compounds are stable in air in the solid state and in aqueous solution. The substitution of apical halide ligands in the parent compounds Re₃X₉ by cyanides led to reduction of the original metallocluster Re₃⁹⁺ (12 cluster valence electrons (CVEs)) to Re₃⁷⁺ (14 CVEs), forming the compounds 1 and 2. The apical CN^- ligands affect the electronic structure of the Re₃ metallocluster stabilizing reduced form. Complexes 1 and 2 represent the first examples of triangular rhenium clusters with the Re₃⁷⁺ metallocluster. The reaction of 1 and 2 with H₂O₂ resulted in formation of compounds 3 and 4 with the formal charge of the Re₃ metallocluster equal to 8+, and no further oxidation to Re₃⁹⁺ occurred. The compounds were characterized by the X-ray diffraction analysis, NMR and UV-vis spectroscopies, mass spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry, and magnetic susceptibility measurements.