Crystal structure of tetra­kis­(μ-n-butyrato-κ(2) O:O′)bis­[chlorido­rhenium(III)](Re—Re)

With an inversion center at the mid-point of the two Re(III) atoms, the title compound, [Re(2)Cl(2){O(2)C(CH(2))(2)CH(3)}(4)], exhibits a paddle-wheel or lantern-type structure with four n-butyrate groups bridging two Re(III) atoms in a syn–syn fashion. The axial chloride ligands together with the Re—Re quadruple bond [2.2330 (3) Å] complete an essentially octa­hedral geometry around each Re(III) atom. There is little distortion, with an Re—Re—Cl bond angle of 176.18 (3)° and typical cis-O—Re—O bond angles ranging from 89.39 (11) to 90.68 (11)°. There are two mol­ecules in the unit cell, and no significant inter­molecular inter­actions were noticed between mol­ecules in the crystal.