Luminescent low-valent rhenium complexes with 1,2-bis(dialkylphosphino)ethane ligands. synthesis and X-ray crystallographic, electrochemical, and spectroscopic characterization.

A series of low-valent rhenium phosphine complexes with the general formula Re(dmpe)(3-x)(depe)(x) (x = 0-3), where dmpe is 1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane and depe is 1,2-bis(diethylphosphino)ethane, were synthesized and characterized. The reaction of [Re(benzil)(PPh(3))Cl(3)] with the appropriate phosphine yielded the homoleptic tris complexes Re(dmpe)(3) and Re(depe)(3), while the mixed-ligand complexes Re(dmpe)(2)(depe) and Re(dmpe)(depe)(2) were prepared from Re(dmpe)(2)Cl(2) and Re(depe)(2)Cl(2), respectively. The oxidation state of the final product strongly depends on the donating properties of the ligand. Each complex, however, exhibits a diffusion-controlled, reversible one-electron transfer between Re(I) and Re(II) with formal reduction potentials, E degrees ', ranging from -0.09 to -0.28 V versus a ferrocene external standard. Subsequent oxidation to Re(III) was found to be chemically irreversible. UV-vis and luminescence spectroelectrochemical techniques were used to study the spectral properties of the Re(I) and Re(II) forms. The Re(II) complexes are red in color and exhibit absorption features from 350 to 600 nm; the lowest-energy transition was assigned as a sigma(P) to dpi(Re) ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (LMCT) transition. Excitation into the lowest-energy absorption band revealed rare examples of luminescent (Phi approximately 0.07) LMCT excited states from d(5) transition-metal complexes in a room temperature solution. Structural characterization of salts of both oxidation states of Re(dmpe)(2)(depe) was also performed.