Dynamic Processes of Rhenium Polyhydride Complexes

Studies have demonstrated that high-coordination-number rhenium polyhydride complexes are precursors to catalysts that transform a variety of organic molecules. While rhenium polyhydride complexes lead to active catalysts, little has been reported on the mechanisms for the transformations. High-coordination-number rhenium polyhydride complexes exhibit several dynamic processes that make characterizations of the chemical properties for individual atoms difficult, at best, for room-temperature solutions. This review describes what is known of the dynamic processes that occur at high-coordination-number rhenium polyhydride complexes and how that knowledge may lead to the design of catalytic precursors in which the chemical properties of individual atoms can be more readily identified in room-temperature solutions.