Organometallic rhenium(III) chalcogenide clusters: coordination of N-heterocyclic carbenes

The preparation of rhenium based octahedral clusters containing N-heterocyclic carbenes is described. These represent the first examples of [M-6(mu(3)-Q)(8)](n+) or [M-6(mu(3)-X)(8)](n+) clusters to contain a carbene ligand of any type (NHC, Fischer or Schrock). Surprisingly, the NHC ligands attenuate their luminescent properties.