Anion detection driven by a surprising internal hydrogen-bonding association in a dinuclear Rhenium(I) complex

A neutral dinuclear rhenium(I) bipyridinetricarbonyl bromide complex has been investigated with a range of anions, giving a remarkable binding affinity for dihydrogenphosphate. These studies highlight that anion sensing can be achieved with structurally simple species provided that the compound adopts an unconventional conformation, through, for example, intramolecular hydrogen bonding in solution.