Ni(ii) complexes featuring non-metallated pincer-type ligands

Abstract

Attempts to prepare pincer-type Ni complexes from the ligands (i-Pr₂POCH₂)₂CH₂ and (pz*CH₂)₂CH₂ (pz* = 3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl) gave instead the complexes cis-{κ^P,κ^P′-(i-Pr₂POCH₂)₂CH₂}NiCl₂ and {κ^N,κ^N′-(pz*CH₂)₂CH₂}NiBr₂. X-Ray diffraction studies confirmed that these potentially pincer-type ligands have not undergone metallation, serving instead as chelating ligands in essentially square-planar or tetrahedral complexes. Heating of these compounds failed to induce metallation of the coordinated ligands.