Graphical contents entryElectrospray mass spectrometry is found to be a powerful technique for exploring the fundamental chemistry of the dinuclear hydroxo-and alkoxo-bridged species [Re 2 (-OR) 3 (CO) 6 ] -(R = H, Me); fragmentation processes include dehydration, hydride elimination and CO loss, and exchange reactions with alcohols and phenols are also reported.
AbstractThe rhenium hydroxy and methoxy carbonyl complexes [Re 2 (-OR) 3 (CO) 6 ] -(R = H, Me) have been studied by negative-ion electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS).The complexes [Re 2 (-OR) 3 (CO) 6 ] -(R = H, OMe) undergo facile exchange reactions with protic compounds, including alcohols and phenols. With dimethylmalonate, ester hydrolysis occurs giving carboxylate-containing complexes, and with H 2 O 2 or Bu t OOH, oxidation to ReO 4occurs. The feasibility and extent of these reactions can be conveniently, rapidly, and unambiguously determined by electrospray mass spectrometry, and is dependent on the acidity and steric bulk of the protic compound. The results also suggest that the complexes can be used as versatile starting materials for the synthesis of a wide range of analogous [Re 2 (-OR) 3 (CO) 6 ]complexes by simple reaction with an excess of the appropriate alcohol. By varying the applied cone voltage, the fragmentation pathways have been investigated; the hydroxy complex undergoes dehydration followed by CO loss, whereas for the methoxy complex, -hydride elimination (and CO loss) is observed, with confirmation provided by deuterium labelling studies.Under ESMS conditions, the neutral complexes [Re 2 (-OR) 2 (-dppf)(CO) 6 ] [R = H, Me; dppf =1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene] undergo substantial solvolysis and hydrolysis to give mainly mononuclear species; simple parent ions (e.g. [M + H] + )are not formed in appreciable abundance, probably due to the lack of an efficient ionisation pathway.