Benzil bis(semicarbazone), H2L(1), reacts with common rhenium(V) nitrido complexes such as [ReNCl2(PPh3)2] or [ReNCl2(PR2Ph)3] (R = Me, Et) under the release of one semicarbazone unit, cyclization, and formation of stable triazine-3-onato complexes of rhenium(V). The resulting 5,6-diphenyltriazine-3-one, HL (2), acts as monodentate or chelating, monoanionic ligand depending on the reaction conditions applied. Complexes of the compositions [ReNCl(L(2)-kappaN(2),kappaO)(PR2Ph)2] (R = Me, Et) or [ReN(L(2)-kappa N(2),O)(L(2)-kappaN(2))(PPh3)2] were isolated. The N(2) nitrogen atom is the preferred binding site of the monodentate form of the ligand. This contrasts the behavior of the analogous thione HL(3), which preferably coordinates to nitridorhenium(V) centers via the sulfur atom. HL(3) is readily formed by the abstraction of methanol from 5-methoxy-5,6-diphenyl-4,5-dihydro-2H-[1,2,4]triazine-3-thione, H2L(3)OCH 3. In the presence of [ReNCl2(PPh3)2] or [ReNCl2(PR2Ph)3] complexes (R = Me, Et), this reaction yields stable complexes of the composition [ReN(L(3)-kappaN(2),kappaS)(L(3)-kappaS)(PR2Ph)2] (R = Me, Et, Ph) in good yields. Reduction of the metal atom and formation of the seven-coordinate [Re(PPh3)(L(3)-kappaN(2),kappaS)3] was observed during reactions of H2L(3)OCH3 with [ReOCl3(PPh3)2] or [ReO2I(PPh3)2], while no rhenium complexes could be isolated during similar reactions with H2L(1), although cyclization of the bis(semicarbazone) and the formation of H 2L(2)OEt were observed.