Crystal and molecular structure of tetrakis(tricarbonyl-µ3-methanethiolato-rhenium)

Abstract

Crystals of the title compound are trigonal, a= 10·07(1), c= 25·92(2)Å, Z= 3, space-group P3₁21. The structure was determined by Patterson and Fourier syntheses and refined by full-matrix least squares calculations to R 0·054 for 812 observed reflexions. The molecule lies on a crystallographic two-fold axis. The structure is an almost regular tetrahedron of rhenium atoms, with each sulphur atom equidistant from the three nearest rhenium atoms and the C–S bonds normal to the triangular planes of the tetrahedron. The Re–S distances are all equivalent [2·48–2·52(1)Å]. The very long Re ⋯ Re distances [3·853–3·957(3)Å] confirm the absence of any formal direct metal–metal bonds and any interaction between the rhenium atoms must be through the triply bridging sulphur atoms. Each sulphur atom is symmetrically bound to three rhenium atoms, the Re–S–Re angles being almost equal and just less than the tetrahedral angle.