Unusual dirhenium complexes containing the bis[2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl]ether ligand including a terephthalate-bridged tetrarhenium compound

The synthesis, structures and reactivity of unsymmetrical multiply-bonded dirhenium(IV,II) and dirhenium(III,II) complexes that contain the bis[2-(diphenylphosphino)phenyl]ether ligand (L1) are described, including the isolation and structural characterization of the novel terephthalate-bridged tetrarhenium complex [Re2Cl4(η3-L1)]2(μ-O2CC6H4CO2) in which there is weak electronic coupling between the pairs of dirhenium centers.