Reactions of the rhenium fragment (η5-C5Me5)Re(CO)2 with chlorinated ethylenes: Coordination and C–Cl bond activation

Photochemical reactions of the dinitrogen complex Cp∗Re(CO)2N2 with tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene yield the coordination complexes Cp∗Re(CO)2(η2-tetrachloroethylene) (1) and Cp∗Re(CO)2(η2-trichloroethylene) (2), respectively. Complex 1 reacts thermally in polar organic solvents to produce the C–Cl bond activation product cis-Cp∗Re(CO)2(C2Cl3)Cl (3). All complexes were isolated and characterized by IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies and mass spectrometry. Complex 3 was also characterized by X-ray crystallography.