Multicomponent Self-Assembly of Thiolato- and Selenato-Bridged Ester-Functionalized Rhenium(I)-Based Trigonal Metallaprisms: Synthesis and Structural Characterization

Multicomponent self-assembly of Re2(CO)10, diaryl dichalcogenide ligands (REER), and phenyl-1,3,5-tris­(isonicotinate) (ptin) under solvothermal conditions has resulted in the formation of chalcogen-bridged trigonal metallaprisms of the general formula [{(CO)3Re­(μ-ER)2Re­(CO)3}3(μ3-ptin)2] (1–5), wherein E = S, Se and R = phenyl, p-tolyl, benzyl. Oxidative addition of diaryl disulfide/diaryl diselenide to Re2(CO)10 with the ester-functionalized tritopic linker ptin has yielded trigonal metallaprisms 1–5 under facile reaction conditions. The metallaprisms 1–5 have been characterized using elemental analysis and IR, UV–vis, and NMR spectroscopic techniques. Single-crystal X-ray structures have been obtained for 3 and 4. The structural features and chirality of metallaprisms 3 and 4 in the solid state have been highlighted.