A series of metal complexes was synthesized in which arenes were dihapto-coordinated to
-basicmetal fragments having the general form {TpM(
-acid)(L)}, where Tp = hydridotris(pyrazolyl)borate, M =rhenium, molybdenum, or tungsten,
-acid = CO or NO
+, and L = 1-methylimidazole, 1-butylimidazole,pyridine, or trimethylphosphine. The arene complexes were shown to be significantly more basic than theanalogous pentaammineosmium(II) arene complexes and were protonated by moderate acids to giveremarkably stable
2 and
3 arenium cation complexes. A crystal structure of [TpRe(CO)(MeIm)(5,6-
2-2
H-anisolium)](OTf) confirmed the
2 coordination of the anisolium ligand, but suggests a weak long-rangeinteraction between the metal and C1 of the anisolium.