The p-tolylimido rhenium(V) complexes [Re(p-NC6H4CH3)X-3(EPh3)(2)] (X = Cl, Br; E = As, P) and [Re(p-NC6H4CH3)Cl-2(hmpbta)(PPh3)]center dot MeCN have been synthesized and characterized spectroscopically and structurally. The electronic spectra of [Re(p-NC6H4CH3)Cl-3(PPh3)(2)] and [Re(P-NC6H4CH3)Cl-2(hmpbta)(PPh3)](Hhmpbta-2-(2'-hydroxy-5'-methylPhenyl)benzotriazole) were investigated at the TDDFT level employing B3LYP functional in combination with LANL2DZ. Additional information about bonding between the rhenium atom and p-tolylimido ligand in the complexes [Re(p-NC6H4CH3)Cl-3(PPh3)(2)] and [Re(p-NC6H4CH3)Cl-2(hmpbta)(PPh3)] was obtained by NBO analysis. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.