Organometallic models of catalytic hydrodesulfurization: Re-2(CO)(10)-promoted cleavage of C-S bonds in benzothiophene

Ultraviolet photolysis of hexanes solutions containing Re-2(CO)(10) and ben zothiophene (BT) give the C-S cleavage product Re-2(CO)(7)[eta(2)(C2,C3)-mu (2)(C2,S)-BT] 1 which reacts with PMe3 at room temperature to yield two pho sphine-substituted products, 2 and 3, in which the fragmented BT ligand is partially displaced from the metals; molecular structures of 1, 2 and 3 are models for possible intermediates in the HDS of BT on catalyst surfaces.