A new hexahydropyrimidine-based NHC proligand undergoes facile double C–H bond activation to give Pd(ii) and Ni(ii) NHC pincer cationic complexes. The Pd complex catalyzes C–N cross couplings very efficiently.

A mesoporous copper complex was synthesized with a novel double helix morphology and successfully utilized as a biomimetic catalyst for phenoxazinone synthase activity.

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The reaction of NiCl2 with 1,3‐bis[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]hexahydropyrimidine in the presence of 2,6‐dimethylphenyl isocyanide and KPF6 afforded a new pentacoordinated PCP pincer NiII complex, namely {1,3‐bis[(diphenylphosphanyl)methyl]hexahydropyrimidin‐2‐yl‐κN2}(2,6‐dimethylphenyl isocyanide‐κC)nickel(II) hexafluoridophosphate 0.70‐hydrate, [Ni(C9H9N)(C30H30ClN2P2)]PF6·0.7H2O or [NiCl{C(NCH2PPh2)2(CH2)3‐κ3P,C,P′}(Xylyl‐NC)]PF6·0.7H2O, in very good yield. Its X‐ray structure showed a distorted square‐pyramidal geometry and the compound does not undergo dissociation in solution, as shown by variable‐temperature NMR and UV–Vis studies. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provided an insight into the bonding; the nickel dsp2‐hybridized orbitals form the basal plane and the nearly pure p orbital forms the axial bond. This is consistent with the NBO (natural bond orbital) analysis of analogous nickel(II) complexes.

Ni(II) Schiff base complex was successfully immobilized on the surface of the MCM‐41 material using the organo silane compound 3‐aminopropyltrimethoxysilane by the direct synthesis method. The as‐synthesized Ni‐MCM‐41 material was investigated by the characterization techniques like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, small angle X‐ray powder diffraction, N2 adsorption‐desorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersion X‐ray analysis. The studies show that the Ni‐MCM‐41 material retained good mesoporous structure and acts as an efficient catalyst for the C−S and C−N cross coupling reactions under prominent reaction conditions. Readily available nature of the starting compounds, synthesis of effective catalyst and reusability of the catalyst makes the present synthetic method a remarkable strategy.