Rhenium and technetium complexes with N,N-dialkyl-N'-benzoylthioureas

N,N-Dialkyl-N'-benzoylthioureas, HR(1)R(2)btu, react under single deprotonation and form air-stable chelate complexes with common rhenium or technetium complexes such as (NBu(4))[MOCl(4)] (M = Re, Tc) or [ReOCl(3)(PPh(3))(2)]. Compositions and molecular structures of the products are strongly dependent on the precursors used and the reaction conditions applied. Reactions with [ReOCl(3)(PPh(3))(2)] in CH(2)Cl(2) give complexes of the general formula [ReOCl(2)(R(1)R(2)btu)(PPh(3))] (3), with the benzoyl oxygen atom of the chelating benzoylthiourea being trans to the oxo ligand, and/or Re(III) complexes of the composition [ReCl(2)(R(1)R(2)btu)(PPh(3))(2)] (4) with the PPh(3) ligands in trans positions to each other. In polar solvents such as MeOH, EtOH or acetone, corresponding reactions without addition of a supporting base only result in intractable brown solutions, from which no crystalline complexes could be isolated. The addition of NEt(3), however, allows the isolation of the bis-chelates [ReOCl(R(1)R(2)btu)(2)] (1) in good yields. In this type of complex, one of the chelating R(1)R(2)btu- ligands coordinates equatorially, while the second occupies the position trans to the oxo ligand with its oxygen atom. The latter compounds can also be prepared from (NBu(4))[ReOCl(4)] in MeOH when no base is added, while the addition of NEt(3) results in the formation of [ReO(OMe)(R(1)R(2)btu)(2)] (5) complexes with the methoxo ligand trans to O(2-). Compounds of the type 5 can alternatively be prepared by heating 1 in MeOH with addition of NEt(3). A reversible conversion of 5 into oxo-bridged dimers of the composition [{ReO(R(1)R(1)btu)(2)}(2)O] (6) is observed in water-containing solvents. Starting from (NBu(4))[TcOCl(4)], a series of technetium complexes of the type [TcOCl(R(1)R(2)btu)(2)] (2) could be prepared. The structures of such compounds are similar to those of the rhenium analogues 1. Reduction of 2 with PPh(3) in CH(2)Cl(2) gives Tc(III) complexes of the composition [TcCl(R(1)R(2)btu)(2)(PPh(3))] (7) having the chloro and PPh(3) ligands in cis positions. When this reaction is performed in the presence of excess chelating ligand, the Tc(III) tris-chelates [Tc(R(1)R(2)btu)(3)] (8) are formed.