Reaction of equimolar trans-[Re(NPh)(PPh3)2Cl3] with H2L, a 1: 1 Schiff-base condensate of salicylaldehyde and ethanolamine, in chloroform gives trans-[Re(NPh)(HL)(PPh3)Cl2] (1a) in good yield. 1a has been characterized by C, H, and N microanalyses, FTIR and UV-vis spectra. The X-ray crystal structure of 1a reveals that it is an octahedral trans-Cl,Cl phenylimidorhenium(V) complex. The rhenium center has an N2OCl2P coordination sphere. 1a crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with a = 11.2391(5), b = 16.4848(7), c = 16.3761(8) Å, V = 3034.0(2) Å3 and Z = 4. The electrochemical aspects of 1a have been studied. Electrochemical studies of 1a in dichloromethane show a quasi-reversible Re(V) to Re(VI) oxidation at 1.128 V versus Ag/AgCl. This redox potential reasonably matches the calculated redox potential, 1.186 V versus Ag/AgCl. Geometry optimization of the trans-Cl,Cl 1a vis-à-vis its cis analog, cis-Cl,Cl 1b, have been performed at the level of density functional theory (DFT). It is revealed that 1a is more stable than 1b by 21.6 kcal per mole of energy in the gas phase. © 2015 Taylor & Francis.