A tetranuclear dianion consisting of linked dirhenate units arranged in an infinite one-dimensional chain through ligand–ligand hydrogen bonding in the solid state

The reaction of 1,4-dicyanobenzene with tetrabutylammonium octachlorodirhenate in refluxing ethanol, in the presence of excess water, produces a tetrarhenate dianion in which ligand hydrolysis results in a unique structure. In this structure, two dirhenium units are linked by a benzene-1,4-dicarboxamidate ligand. The product has been characterized by X-ray crystallography and spectroscopic means. In the crystallographically-determined structure, the tetrarhenate dianions are joined by hydrogen bonding into an infinite one-dimensional chain with a ‘zigzag’ motif.