Piezochromism in Nickel Salicylaldoximato Complexes: Tuning Crystal‐Field Splitting with High Pressure

The crystal structures of bis(3‐fluoro‐salicylaldoximato)nickel(II) and bis(3‐methoxy‐salicylaldoximato)nickel(II) have been determined at room temperature between ambient pressure and approximately 6 GPa. The principal effect of pressure is to reduce intermolecular contact distances. In the fluoro system molecules are stacked, and the Ni???Ni distance decreases from 3.19 Å at ambient pressure to 2.82 Å at 5.4 GPa. These data are similar to those observed in bis(dimethylglyoximato)nickel(II) over a similar pressure range, though contrary to that system, and in spite of their structural similarity, the salicyloximato does not become conducting at high pressure. Ni–ligand distances also shorten, on average by 0.017 and 0.011 Å for the fluoro and methoxy complexes, respectively. Bond compression is small if the bond in question is directed towards an interstitial void. A band at 620 nm, which occurs in the visible spectrum of each derivative, can be assigned to a transition to an antibonding molecular orbital based on the metal 3d(x²?y²) orbital. Time‐dependent density functional theory calculations show that the energy of this orbital is sensitive to pressure, increasing in energy as the Ni–ligand distances are compressed, and consequently increasing the energy of the transition. The resulting blueshift of the UV‐visible band leads to piezochromism, and crystals of both complexes, which are green at ambient pressure, become red at 5 GPa.     

Die Kristall- und MolekülStruktur des Bis-(cis-1-mercapto-2-p-brombenzoyl-äthylen)-nickel(II)

Crystal and Molecular Structure of Bis(cis-1-mercapto-2-p-brominebenzoylethylen)nickel(II) From a x-ray analysis of bis(cis-1-mercapto-2-p-brominebenzoyl-ethylen)-nickel(II) distances Ni? S and Ni? O of 2.14 Å and 1.88 Å, respectively, follow for the planar square nickel complex Ni[S₂O₂]. The sulfur atoms are arranged in cis-position. The C? C distance in the sulfur neighbourhood is shortened, but the difference between the two C? C bonds in the chelate ring is less than in bis(thioisobutyrylacetonato)nickel(II). This indicates a strenthening of the quasiaromatic character in the chelate system of the investigated structure.     

Synthesis and reactivity of a conveniently prepared two-coordinate bis(amido) nickel(II) complex

A strictly two-coordinate nickel(II) bis(amido) complex has been prepared and its reactivity towards a variety of small molecules is described. Ni[N(SiMe(3))(DIPP)](2) reacts with DMAP and acetonitrile to form T-shaped three-coordinate complexes, and preliminary results show that Ni[N(SiMe(3))(DIPP)](2) is a catalyst for the hydrosilation of olefins with secondary silanes at ambient temperature.     

The high-pressure electronic structure of the [Ni(ptdt)2] organic molecular conductor

The electronic structure of the single component molecular crystal [Ni(ptdt)(2)] (ptdt = propylenedithiotetrathiafulvalenedithiolate) is determined at ambient and high pressure using density functional theory. The electronic structure of this crystal is found to be of the "crossing bands" type with respect to the dispersion of the HOMO and LUMO, resulting in a small, non-zero density of states at the Fermi energy at ambient pressure, indicating that this crystal is a "poor quality" metal, and is consistent with the crystal's resistivity exhibiting a semiconductor-like temperature dependence. The ambient pressure band structure is found to be predominantly one-dimensional, reflecting enhanced intermolecular interactions along the [100] stacking direction. Our calculations indicate that the band structure becomes two-dimensional at high pressures and reveals the role of shortened intermolecular contacts in this phenomenon. The integrity of the molecular structure is found to be maintained up to at least 22 GPa. The electronic structure is found to exhibit a crossing bands nature up to 22 GPa, where enhanced intermolecular interactions increase the Brillouin zone centre HOMO-LUMO gap from 0.05 eV at ambient pressure to 0.15 eV at 22 GPa; this enhanced HOMO-LUMO interaction ensures that enhancement of a metallic state in this crystal cannot be simply achieved through the application of pressure, but rather requires some rearrangement of the molecular packing. Enhanced HOMO-LUMO interactions result in a small density of states at the Fermi energy for the high pressure window 19.8-22 GPa, and our calculations show that there is no change in the nature of the electronic structure at the Fermi energy for these pressures. We correspondingly find no evidence of an electronic semiconducting-metal insulator transition for these pressures, contrary to recent experimental evidence [Cui et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 131, 6358 (2009)].     

Complexation Equilibria and Determination of Stability Constants of Binary and Ternary Nickel(II) Complexes with Amino Acids (Glycine, α-Alanine, β-Alanine and Proline) and Dipicolinic Acid as Ligands

In this paper we report the formation of binary and ternary nickel(II) complexes involving dipicolinic acid (H₂Dipic) as the primary ligand and some selected amino acids {glycine (HGly), ?-alanine (H?-Ala), ??-alanine (H??-Ala) and proline (HPro)} as secondary ligands. These complexes were studied at 25?°C by means of electromotive force measurements, emf(H), using 1.0?mol?dm^?3 NaCl as the ionic medium. The experimental data were analyzed by means of the computational least-squares program LETAGROP, taking into account hydrolysis of the nickel(II) cation and the acid/base reactions of the ligands whose equilibrium constants were kept fixed during the analysis. In the study of the binary nickel(II)?Camino acids systems the species [NiL]⁺, NiL₂ and [NiL₃]^? were observed, and in the case of the ternary nickel(II)?Cdipicolinic acid?Camino acids systems the complexes Ni(Dipic)HL, [Ni(Dipic)L] ^? and [Ni(Dipic)L(OH)]^2? were observed. The respective stability constants were determined, and the species distribution diagrams, as a function of pH, are briefly discussed.     

Structure of the nitrosoguanidine complexes of nickel(II) and copper(II) by X-ray crystallography and computational analysis

Using the X-ray structure of solid nitrosoguanidine (ngH), potential structures of its complex with aqueous nickel(II) were surmised. A single-crystal X-ray diffraction determination of the Ni(II) complex confirmed one of these configurations. The X-ray structural parameters were compared with the most stable gaseous configurations derived from ab initio-MO calculations. The lowest energy calculated configuration of the nickel(II) complex and the X-ray crystal structure are in excellent agreement. The neutral diamagnetic, planar, red-colored [bis(nitrosoguanidate)nickel(II)] complex, [Ni(ng)₂]°, is nitrogen coordinated in the trans configuration. It is highly insoluble in all solvents investigated, and has essentially the same crystal symmetry and unit-cell dimensions as the free ligand. In ligand crystals, two molecules have four nitrogen atoms aligned in a plane such that they are suitable for coordination to a nickel ion (1.945, 2.064?Å), when it is at the 1/2,?1/2,?1/2 unit-cell position. Furthermore, the complexes stack, as in [Ni(dmg)₂]°, placing the nickel ions in nearly perfect positions for weak metal–metal bonding between adjacent layers at the near optimum distance of 3.65(1)?Å. This results in a tight, linear macromolecule having low volatility and the extremely low solubility observed. As far as we are aware this is the first instance in which a ligand crystal structure is essentially the same as the complex it forms, with minor differences in bond distances, angles and torsion angles, and suggests some potentially unique properties and applications for this material.     

Über die Koordinationstendenz saurer Aminogruppen,IX. Die Kristall- und Molekülstruktur von Bis-[3-phenyl-5-pyridyl(2)-pyrazolato]-nickel(II)

The crystal and molecular structure of the diamagnetic, non-ionic- Ni(II) chelate of 3-phenyl-5-pyridyl(2)-pyrazole, [Ni(PPP)₂], are described. [Ni(PPP)₂] crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c. The Ni? N distances (1.88 Å) are shorter and the C? C and C? N distances are smaller than expected. The molecular structure is discussed in comparison with other nickel(II) complexes with N-coordination.     

Synthesis, structure, spectroscopy and redox chemistry of square-planar nickel(II) complexes with tetradentate o-phenylenedioxamidates and related ligands

A series of four-coordinate square-planar nickel(II) complexes of o-phenylenebis(N'-methyloxamidate)(L1) and related o-phenylene(N'-methyloxamidate)oxamate (L2) and o-phenylenebis(oxamate)(L3) tetradentate ligands have been synthesized and characterized structurally, spectroscopically and electrochemically. The parent nickel(II)-L1 complex presents an intense MLCT band in the UV region (lambda max = 357 nm) and a distinctive 1 s --> 4p CT satellite in the Ni K-edge XANES spectrum (E = 8339.2 eV). These features together with the short Ni-N(amidate) bond lengths (1.85-1.93 A) as revealed by the analysis of the Ni K-edge EXAFS spectrum and confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction are typical of square-planar low spin (S = 0) Ni(II) ions. The dianionic nickel(II) complexes, [Ni(II)L(i)](2-)(i = -3), experience two redox processes in acetonitrile at 25 degrees C. The first redox process, at moderately low potentials (E1 = 0.12-0.52 V vs. SCE), is a reversible one-electron metal-centered oxidation to the corresponding monoanionic nickel(III) complexes, [Ni(III)L(i)]-. The second redox process, at relatively high potentials (E2 = 0.86-1.04 V vs. SCE), is a quasireversible to irreversible one-electron oxidation largely centered on the o-benzenediamidate fragment of the non-innocent ligand, yielding the corresponding neutral nickel(iii) complexes with a o-benzosemiquinonediimine pi-cation radical ligand, [Ni(III)(L(i))*+]. The singly and doubly oxidized species of the parent nickel(II)-L1 complex have been prepared by chemical oxidation and characterized spectroscopically in acetonitrile at -40 degrees C. The stable singly oxidized nickel(III)-L1 species presents an intense LMCT band in the NIR region (lambda max = 910 nm) and a rhombic X-band EPR spectrum (g1 = 2.193, g2 = 2.080 and g3 = 2.006) characteristic of square-planar low spin (S = 1/2) Ni(III) ions. The unstable double oxidized nickel(III)-L1 pi-cation radical species exhibits a rather intense visible band (lambda max = 645 nm) that is tentatively assigned as a MLCT transition from the Ni(III)-benzosemiquinone type ground state to the Ni(IV) excited state.     

Molecular and electronic structure of square-planar nickel II, nickel III and nickel III pi-cation radical complexes with a tetradentate o-phenylenedioxamidate redox-active ligand

The molecular and electronic structures of the electron transfer series of four-coordinate square-planar nickel complexes with the ligand o-phenylenebis(N'-methyloxamidate), [NiL]z (z = 2-, 1-, 0), have been evaluated by DFT and TDDFT calculations, and most of their experimentally available structural and spectroscopic properties (X. Ottenwaelder et al., Dalton Trans., 2005, DOI: 10.1039/b502478a) have been reasonably reproduced at the B3LYP level of theory. The anionic species [NiL]2- and [NiL]- are genuine low-spin nickel II and nickel III complexes with diamagnetic singlet (S = 0) and paramagnetic doublet (S = 1/2) states, respectively. The nickel III complex presents shorter Ni-N(amidate) bond distances (1.85-1.90 A) than the parent nickel II complex (1.88-1.93 A) and characteristic LMCT bands in the NIR region (lambda max = 794 and 829 nm) while the analogous MLCT bands for the nickel(II) complex are in the UV region (lambda max = 346 and 349 nm). The neutral species [NiL] is a nickel III o-benzosemiquinonediimine pi-cation radical complex with a diamagnetic singlet (S = 0) and a paramagnetic triplet (S = 1) states fairly close in energy but fundamentally different in orbital configuration. The singlet metal-radical ground state results from the antiferromagnetic coupling between the 3d(yz) orbital of the Ni III ion (S(M) = 1/2) and the pi(b) orbital of the benzosemiquinone-type radical ligand (S(L) = 1/2), which have a large overlap and thus strong covalent bonding. The triplet metal-radical excited state involves the ferromagnetic coupling between the Ni III 3d(zx) orbital and the benzosemiquinone-type pi(b) orbital, which are orthogonal to each other. The singlet and triplet states of the nickel III pi-cation radical complex possess characteristic quinoid-type short-long-short alternating sequence of C-C bonds in the benzene ring, as well as intense MLCT transitions in the VIS (lambda max = 664 nm) and NIR (lambda max = 884 nm) regions, respectively.     

Structural and spectral studies of copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes of pyruvaldehyde mixed bis{N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazones}

Pyruvaldehyde mixed bis(thiosemicarbazones) have been prepared in which the two thiosemicarbazone moieties have different N(4)-substituents. The mixed bis(thiosemicarbazones) and their copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes have been characterized with IR, electronic, mass, ¹H NMR (Ni) and EPR (Cu) spectra. Representative crystal structures have been solved of nickel(II) complexes with either a pyruvaldehyde mixed bis(thiosemicarbazone) or a bis(thiosemicarbazone) with identical N(4)-substituents acting as a tetradentate ligand. [Ni(Pu4M4DE)] has an N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazone substituent on the keto “arm” and N(4)-diethylthiosemicarbazone substituent on the aldehyde arm. [Ni(Pu4M)] contains two N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazone moieties. Both bis(thiosemicarbazones) form square-planar N₂S₂ complexes with nickel(II) and copper(II).     

Nickel(I) complex as the final product of the sequence of spontaneous transformations in the system Ni(allyl)2-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)diazabutadiene

A reaction of Ni(Allyl)₂ with bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)diazabutadiene gave an imino amide allyl nickel(II) complex (I). Complicated rearrangements of the imino amide ligand in the coordination sphere of complex I spontaneously yielded a paramagnetic Ni(I) ??-allyl complex as a final reaction product. The nickel complexes produced in this system were studied by EPR, IR, and 2D NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Structure I was examined by X-ray diffraction.     

A new bis(azine) tetradentate ligand and its transition metal complexes: Synthesis,characterisation, and extraction properties

A new bis(bidentate) azine ligand was prepared by linking (1Z,1′Z)-1,1′-{butane-1,4-diylbis[oxybenzene-4,1-diyl(1Z)ethyl-1-ylidene]}dihydrazine to salicylaldehyde. Two kinds of binuclear copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes with different stoichiometries were prepared. Reaction of bis(azine) ligand with Cu(II) and Ni(II) acetate at a 1: 1 mole ratio gave double-stranded binuclear bis(azine) complexes with stoichiometry [M(L)(H₂O)₂]₂ containing [M(II)N₂O₂] centres while at a 2: 1 mole ratio, reaction of Cu(II) and Ni(II) chloride with bis(azine) resulted in dinuclear metal complexes with the general stoichiometry [M₂(L)Cl₂(H₂O)₂]. Structures of the bis(azine) ligand and its complexes were identified by elemental analysis, IR and UV-VIS spectra, magnetic susceptibility measurements, TGA, and powder XRD. Extraction properties of the bis(azine) ligand towards some transition metal cations and dichromate anions were also reported. It was found that the bis(azine) ligand does not extract cations but it has high extraction ability towards dichromate anions.     

Metal String Complexes: Synthesis,Crystal Structures and Magnetic Properties of Heptanuclear Nickel(II) Complexes, [Ni7(μ7-teptra)4X2] (teptra = tetrapyridyltriamido,X = Cl−, NCS−)

The synthesis, crystal structures and magnetic properties of linear heptanuclear nickel(II) complexes [Ni₇(μ₇-teptra)₄X₂], (teptra = tetrapyridyltriamido), with the axial ligand X = Cl^? ( 1 ), NCS^? ( 2 ), are reported. The hepta-nuclear metal chain is helically wrapped by four syn-syn-syn-syn-syn-syn teptra^3? ligands. Both of the [Ni₇(μ₇-teptra)₄]²⁺ moiety are isostructural involving a Ni₇ linear chain unit with all of the ∠Ni-Ni-Ni being 180°, terminated by two axial ligands. Three types of Ni? Ni distances are found in these complexes. The longest ones bonded with the axial ligands are 2.383(1), 2.374(2) and 2.375(2), 2.354(2), and the intermediate ones are 2.310(1), 2.304(1) and 2.300(2), 2.303(2) Å for ( 1 ) and ( 2 ), respectively. The innermost Ni? Ni distances are the shortest ones with the distances of 2.226(2), 2.214(2) and 2.194(2), 2.206(2) Å for ( 1 ) and ( 2 ), respectively. Two terminal Ni(II) ions bonded with the axial ligands are in a square-pyramidal (NiN₄X) environment and exhibit long Ni? N bonds (?2.10 Å) which are consistent with a high-spin Ni(II) configuration. The inner five Ni(II) ions displayed short Ni? N (～1.90 Å) bond distances which are consistent with a square-planar (NiN₄), diamagnetic arrangement of a low-spin Ni(II) configuration. The magnetic measurement of ( 1 ) shows an antiferromagnetic interaction of two terminal high-spin Ni(II) ions with the coupling constant J = ?3.8 cm^?1. The Ni? Ni, Ni? N distances and magnetic behavior among tri-, penta-, and hepta-nickel(II) complexes are compared and discussed.     

A novel asymmetric di-Ni(II) system as a highly efficient functional model for phosphodiesterase: synthesis, structures, physicochemical properties and catalytic kinetics

A novel asymmetric phenol-based 'end-off' dinucleating ligand 2-{[(2-piperidylmethyl)amino]methyl}-4-bromo-6-[(1-methylhomopiperazine-4-yl)methyl]phenol (HL) and three dinuclear nickel(II) complexes, [Ni?L(μ-OH)] (ClO?)? (1), [Ni?L(DNBA)?(CH?CN)?]BPh? (2) and [Ni?L(BPP)?(CH?CN)?]BPh? (3) have been synthesized and characterized by a variety of techniques including: NMR, infrared and UV-vis spectroscopies, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, molar conductivity, thermal analysis, magnetochemistry and single-crystal X-ray diffractometry. The UV-vis spectrum of complex 1 exhibits a strong peak at 510 nm, a characteristic absorption of a d-d transition of the square-planar four-coordinated Ni(II) center. Utilizing this feature, the stepwise formation of mono- and dinickel centers in solution can be monitored. Phosphodiesterase activity of a dinuclear Ni(II) system (complex 1), formed in situ by a 2?:?1 mixture of Ni(2+) ions and the ligand HL, was investigated using bis(4-nitrophenyl)phosphate (BNPP) as the substrate. The pH dependence of the BNPP cleavage in water-ethanol (1?:?1, v/v) reveals a bell-shaped pH-k(obs) profile with an optimum at about pH 8.3 which is parallel to the formation of the dinuclear species [Ni?L(μ-OH)](2+), according to the increase of the peak at 510 nm in the UV-vis absorption spectrum . These studies reveal that the di-Ni(II) system shows the highest catalytic activity reported so far, with an acceleration rate 1.28 × 10? times faster than the uncatalyzed reaction. The bridging hydroxyl group in [Ni?L(μ-OH)](2+) is responsible for the hydrolysis reaction. The possible mechanism for the BNPP cleavage promoted by di-Ni(II) system is proposed on the basis of kinetic and spectral analyses. This study provides a less common example of the asymmetric phosphodiesterase model, which is like the active sites of most native metallohydrolases.     

Symmetric and Unsymmetric Nickel(II) Schiff Base Complexes; Metal-Localized Versus Ligand-Localized Oxidation

The oxidation of symmetric and unsymmetric nickel(II) Schiff base complexes was examined in acetonitrile by cyclic voltammetry. Unlike nickel(II) bis(salicylaldimine) complexes which undergo oxidative polymerization at the electrode surface, the complexes examined in this study contain at least one β-ketoimine chelate and are irreversibly oxidized at the electrode surface. The mixed chelate complexes are oxidized at potentials midway between those of the symmetric bis(salicylaldimine) and bis(β-ketoimine) complexes, suggesting a metal-localized rather than a ligand-localized oxidation. Oxidation of nickel(II) to nickel(III) followed by rapid intramolecular electron transfer to give reactive ligand-radical species is proposed to explain the irreversible oxidation of the nickel(II) Schiff base complexes.     

Synthesis, spectroscopic, structural and electrochemical studies of nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes derived from 2-hydroxy-4-methacryloyloxybenzaldehyde

The free Schiff bases H₂MABCE, H₂MABCP, and H₂MABCT and their complexes [Ni(MABCE)], [Ni(MABCP)], [Ni(MABCT)], [Cu(MABCE)], [Cu(MABCP)], and [Cu(MABCT)] have been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic, cyclic voltammetric, and thermal studies. The geometry around nickel is square planar with N₂O₂ donor atoms. Cyclic voltammetric studies of the Ni(II) complexes show one-electron quasi-reversible waves corresponding to Ni(II)/Ni(I) and Ni(II)/Ni(III) processes. The Cu(II) complexes exhibit an irreversible well defined one electron transfer reduction peak in the range of ?0.34 to ?1.08 V. The electronic spectra of the complexes suggest a four-coordinate geometry. The crystal structure of the ligand H₂MABCT and the complex [Ni(MABCP)] have also been reported. The mean Ni–N and Ni–O bond distances are Ni–N = 1.849(4) and Ni–O = 1.837(4) Å.     

Synthesis of a one-dimensional metal-dimer assembled system with interdimer interaction, M2(dtp)4 (M = Ni, Pd; dtp = dithiopropionato)

A metal-dimer assembled system, M(2)(dtp)(4) (M = Ni, Pd; dtp = dithiopropionate, C(2)H(5)CS(2-)), was synthesized and analyzed by the X-ray single-crystal diffraction method, UV-vis-near-IR spectra of solutions, solid-state diffuse reflectance spectroscopies, and electrical conductivity measurements. The structures exhibit one-dimensional metal-dimer chains of M(2)(dtp)(4) with moderate interdimer contact. These complexes are semiconducting or insulating, which is consistent with the fully filled d(z)2 band of M(II)(d(8)). Interdimer metal-metal distances were 3.644(2) Angstroms in Ni(2)(dtp)(4) and 3.428(2) Angstroms in Pd(2)(dtp)(4), each of which is marginally longer than twice the van der Waals radius of the metal. Interdimer charge-transfer transitions were nevertheless observed in diffuse reflectance spectra. The origin of this transition is considered to be due to an overlap of two adjacent d(sigma) orbitals, which spread out more than the d(z)2 orbital because of the antibonding d(sigma) character of the M(d(z)2)-M(d(z)2). The Ni(2)(dtp)(4) exhibited an interdimer charge-transfer band at a relatively low energy region, which is derived from the Coulomb repulsion of the 3d(sigma) orbital of Ni.     

Exchanged Metal-Hydrogen Anagostic Bonds and Resonance of Dithiocarbamate and Thioureide Mesomers**

The pressure-induced transformation of plane-square complex nickel(II) bis(N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate) between its soft dithiocarbamate (form I) and thioureide (form II) mesomeres is coupled to the interchange of anagostic Ni⋅⋅⋅H−C interactions from methylene to the methyl group, respectively. At 1.23 GPa, the clearly visible giant anomalous compressibility of the crystal reveals a potential-energy difference of 5.4 kJ mol⁻¹ between the two complex forms. The structural and spectroscopic results, which are supported by quantum-mechanical calculations, connect this solid-state phase transition with the mesomeric transition, and this is accompanied by the conformational transformation of anagostic Ni⋅⋅⋅H−C rearrangement and formation of the charge-assisted S⁻⋅⋅⋅H−C bond under pressure.     

Facile synthesis of a tricyclohexylphosphine‐stabilized η3‐allyl‐carboxylato Ni(II) complex and its relevance in electrochemical butadiene carbon dioxide coupling

With the reaction of bis(1,5‐cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) and trans‐penta‐2,4‐dienoic acid in the presence of tricyclohexylphosphine, a new more general method was developed to synthesize cyclic π³‐allyl‐carboxylato Ni(II) complexes, which are known to be intermediates in the C? C coupling of butadiene and CO₂. The cyclic π³‐allyl‐carboxylato Ni(II) complex obtained is tested as a mediator in the electrochemical coupling reaction of butadiene and carbon dioxide. We also demonstrate the dependency on the coordination sphere by using platinum instead of nickel as the metal center. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.