A series of nickel complexes supported with a tripodal ligand bis(1-methylbenzimidazolyl-2-methyl)amine (L) or bis(1-methylbenzimidazolyl-2-methyl)-10-camphorsulfonamide (L') on a Ni(II) ion were synthesized and fully characterized. The complexes, [LNiCl(micro-Cl)]2.4CH(3)OH (1), [LNi(CH(3)CN)3](ClO4)2.2CH(3)CN (3), and [L2(2)Ni(2)(micro-OAc)3]X (X = Cl- (5) or ClO4- (7)), coordinated with the tridentate L ligand, all possess an octahedral structure at the nickel center; in contrast, the geometry of the complexes, L'NiCl2 (2), [L'Ni(CH(3)CN)3](ClO4)2.2CH(3)CN (4), and L'Ni(OAc)2.0.5Et(2)O (6), employing the L' ligand are either tetrahedral or octahedral. Due to the weak coordinating ability of the sulfonamide group and the steric hindrance of the camphorsulfonyl group of L', the tripodal L' becomes a bidentate ligand in the presence of chloride or acetate groups, which have a stronger electron donating ability than acetonitrile, bound to the nickel center. It is noteworthy that the nuclearity of the nickel complexes can be controlled by the coordination ability of the central nitrogen of the supporting bis-methylbenzimidazolyl ligand.

Two dinickel mimics, [LNi2(DMF)4](ClO4)3 () and [L'Ni2(CH3CN)4](ClO4)3 (), for the active site of urease supported by a disubstituted benzoate polydentate ligand were synthesized and fully characterized, subsequently addition of urea afforded two urea adducts, [LNi2(urea)4](ClO4)3 () and [L'Ni2(urea)4](ClO4)3 ().

A disubstituted benzoate polydentate ligand, 2,6-bis[bis(pyridinyl-2-methyl)aminoethoxyl]benzoate (HL), was prepared to synthesize nickel mimics for the active site of urease. Reaction of the deprotonated L − with Ni(ClO4)2·6H2O afforded a dinickel complex, [LNi2(CH3CN)(THF)](ClO4)3 (1), characterized by UV/vis spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Addition of urea to an acetonitrile solution of 1 afforded a dinickel urea adduct, [LNi2(urea)2](ClO4)3·2CH3CN (2), which was structurally and spectroscopically characterized. 1H NMR and ESI-MS spectra of 2 both evidenced that urea molecules remained coordinated to the nickel centers of 2 in solution. With the inspiration of urea coordination to the nickel centers of 1, the conjugate additions of thiophenols to α,β-enones catalyzed by complex 1 were examined and found to proceed in good yields. In contrast, the same catalytic reaction by Ni(ClO4)2·6H2O and HL was far less effective. Also, addition of NaOAc or NaOAcPh2 to an acetonitrile solution of 1 gave tetranuclear nickel complexes, [LNi2(μ-OAc)]2(ClO4)4·3H2O (3) and [LNi2(μ-OAcPh2)]2(ClO4)4·5CH3CN·2THF (4), and their molecular structures determined by X-ray diffraction can be described as dimers of dimers. Each dinickel core of 3 and 4 closely mimics the active site of urease. The magnetic data of 1, 3, and 4 exhibited a very weak antiferromagnetic coupling (J = −0.72 cm−1 for 1, −0.65 cm−1 for 3 and 4) between two metal centers in the dinickel core.

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