Crystal and molecular structures of (η-xanthene)- (η-cyclopentadienyl)iron(II) hexafluorophosphate and (η-2-methylthianthrene)(η-cyclopentadienyl)iron(II) hexafluorophosphate

The neutral complexes (η⁵-C₅H₅NiXL (X = Cl, L = PPh₃ (I); L = PCy₃ (II); X = Br, L = PPh₃ (III); L = PCy₃ (IV); X = I, L = PPh₃ (V); L = PCy₃ (VI)) have been obtained by treating NiX₂L₂ with thallium cyclopentadienide. The same reaction in the presence of TlBF₄ gives cationic derivatives [(η⁵-C₅H₅)NiL₂]BF₄ (L = 2PPh₂Me (VII); L = dppe (VIII)), whereas mononuclear complexes containing two different ligands (L₂ = PPh₃ + PCy₃ (IX)) or dinuclear [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Ni(PPh₃)]₂dppe(BF₄)₂ (X) are obtained from the reaction of III with TlBF₄ in the presence of a different ligand. Reduction of cationic complexes with Na/Hg gives very unstable nickel(I) derivatives (η⁵-C₅H₅)NiL₂, which could not be isolated purely. Similar reduction of neutral complexes under CO gives a mixture of decomposition products containing [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Ni(CO)]₂ and nickel(o) carbonyls, whereas in the presence of acetylenes, dinuclear [(η⁵-C₅H₅)Ni]₂(RCCR′) (R = R′ = Ph; R = Ph, R′ = H) are obtained.