The photolytic reaction between [ReN(H2O)(CN)4]2- and 1,2-ethanediamine.: The crystal structure of tetraphenylphosphonium μ-1,2-ethanediamine-N,N′-bis[tetracyanonitridorhenate(V)] tetrahydrate

An aqueous solution of [ReN(H2O)(CN)(4)](2)- and 1,2-ethanediamine was irradiated in a photolytic reactor. The reaction product, which was isolated as yellow crystals suitable for X-ray structure determination, is a novel complex with the 1,2-ethanediamine acting as a bridge between two rhenium atoms. The crystal structure of (PPh4)(4)[{ReN(CN)(4)}(2)(mu-en)] . 4H(2)O was determined from three-dimensional X-ray diffraction data. The [{ReN-(CN)(4)}(2)(mu-en)](4)- anion has a distorted octahedral geometry around both rhenium atoms with Re(1) displaced by 0.35 and Re(2) by 0.31 Angstrom towards the respective nitrido ligands from the equatorial planes formed by the carbon atoms of the four cyano ligands of each rhenium atom.