Dimer Rhenium Tetrafluoride with a Triple Bond Re-Re: Structure, Bond Strength

Based on the data of the gas electron diffraction/mass spectrometry (GED/MS) experiment, the composition of the vapor over rhenium tetrafluoride at T = 471 K was established, and it was found that species of the Re₂F₈ is present in the gas phase. The geometric structure of the Re₂F₈ molecule corresponding to D_4h symmetry was found, and the following geometric parameters of the r_h1 configuration were determined: r_h1(Re-Re) = 2.264(5) Å, r_h1(Re-F) = 1.846(4) Å, α(Re-Re-F) = 99.7(0.2)°, φ(F-Re-Re-F) = 2.4 (3.6)°. Calculations by the self-consistent field in full active space approximation showed that for Re₂F₈, the wave function of the ¹A_1g ground electronic state can be described by the single closed-shell determinant. For that reason, the DFT method was used for a structural study of Re₂X₈ molecules. The description of the nature of the Re-Re bond was performed in the framework of Atom in Molecules and Natural Bond Orbital analysis. The difference in the experimental values of r(Re-Re) in the free Re₂F₈ molecule and the [Re₂F₈]^2- dianion in the crystal corresponds to the concept of a triple σ²π⁴ (Re^IV-Re^IV) bond and a quadruple σ²π⁴δ² (Re^III-Re^III) bond, respectively, which are formed between rhenium atoms due to the interaction of d-atomic orbitals. The enthalpy of dissociation of the Re₂F₈ molecular form in two monomers ReF₄ (Δ_dissH°(298) = 109.9 kcal/mol) and the bond energies E(Re-Re) and E(Re-X) in the series Re₂F₈→Re₂Cl₈→Re₂Br₈ molecules were estimated. It is shown that the Re-Re bond energy weakly depends on the nature of the halogen, while the symmetry of the Re₂Br₈ (D_4d) geometric configuration differs from the symmetry of the Re₂F₈ and Re₂Cl₈ (D_4h) molecules.