Supramolecular frameworks based on rhenium clusters using the synthons approach

Abstract

The reaction of the K4[{Re6Si8}(OH)a6]·8H2O rhenium cluster salt with pyrazine (Pz) in aqueous solutions of alkaline or alkaline earth salts at 4◦C or at room temperature leads to apical ligand exchange and to the formation of five new compounds: [trans-{Re6Si8}(Pz)a2(OH)a2(H2O)a2] (1), [cis{Re6Si8}(Pz)a2(OH)a2(H2O)a2] (2), (NO3)[cis-{Re6Si8}(Pz)a2(OH)a(H2O)a3](Pz)·3H2O (3), [Mg(H2O)6]0.5[cis{Re6Si 8}(Pz)a2(OH)a3(H2O)a ]·8.5H2O (4), and K[cis-{Re6Si 8}(Pz)a2(OH)a3(H2O)a ]·8H2O (5). Their crystal structures are built up from trans-or cis-[{Re6Si 8}(Pz)a2(OH)a4−x(H2O)ax]x−2 cluster units. The cohesions of the 3D supramolecular frameworks are based on stacking and H bonding, as well as on H3O2−bridges in the cases of (1), (2), (4), and (5) compounds, while (3) is built from stacking and H bonding only. This evidences that the nature of the synthons governing the cluster unit assembly is dependent on the hydration rate of the unit.